Comparison

Tracing Buddy vs Mural Trace

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tracing Buddy

Easily transfer images to a drawing surface using a grid system. Create drawing illusions with perspective distortion and anamorphic images. Offers various image filters and grid customization options.

Highlights
  • Drawing grid with customizable lines and subdivisions
  • Perspective distortion for anamorphic illusions
  • Image filters: line art, black & white, background removal
  • AR-guided distortion process
  • Manual distortion control
  • Save grid settings in projects
Features
Read full description

Tracing Buddy is a drawing grid and anamorphic images creation tool. Built for simplicity, Tracing Buddy allows you to easily transfer pictures to a drawing surface Using the perspective distortion functionality, now you can enter the world of drawing illusions. First, apply the distortion to your images and then transfer them to a drawing surface with a grid The app is optimized for both iPhone and iPad use, including Dark Mode support Grid Features: - Square divisions or choose the preferred aspect ratio - Change color and transparency of grid lines - Choose from four subdivision styles and change color and transparency as you wish - Change the grid background color and the transparency of your image - Change the scale and position of your image relative to the whole grid - Save grid settings in projects Image Features: - Choose from a regular image, line art style, black & white values, or remove backgrounds with the person detection filter -With the B&W and values filter you change your image to black & white, adjust shadows and highlights to you liking with the included tone curve and reduce the number of values in the picture to a more manageable amount. With the value selection tool you can inspect where values are placed in your image - Use the person detection filter to remove the backgrounds of pictures with people in them, change to a transparent or solid color background instead Anamorphic images: - Add perspective distortion to your images choosing from two method: AR or using a picture - In AR method let Tracing Buddy guide you through the whole process, you only need an iOS device equipped with AR capabilities - If you need more control about the distortion, you can take a picture from your phone or with external camera and apply the distortion manually, for this method to be effective, you need to know the dimensions of the surface you want to transfer your picture to Premium Features Add-on (either by subscription or lifetime purchase) required for: - Ad removal - Premium Image filters - Multiple Project management - PNG type export Privacy Policy: https://lafappbrica.com/tracing-buddy-privacy-policy Terms of use https://lafappbrica.com/tracing-buddy-terms/

About

Mural Trace

Easily transfer and enlarge any image onto surfaces like walls or canvas using a phone camera and the grid method. Simplify colors, create grids, and trace sections with AR overlay. Perfect for murals, art projects, and DIY décor.

Highlights
  • Image posterization with color simplification
  • Customizable grid system for tracing
  • AR camera overlay for real-time tracing
  • Color palette extraction
  • PDF export of grid reference
  • Project management and progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Paint any image - no artistic skill required! Transfer and enlarge any photo onto walls, paper, canvas, or any large surface. Perfect for DIY home murals, street art, classroom projects, and professional installations. Use the classic grid method to divide your image into squares and trace one section at a time, using your phone's camera as a guide. Brought to you by Ctrl V Art Studio (ctrlvartstudio.com) WHY Ctrl V Art Grid? - No projector required - just your phone - Works in any lighting conditions - No artistic experience needed - Works on any wall size - Portable - take it anywhere - Much cheaper than projector setups HOW IT WORKS: 1. CHOOSE YOUR IMAGE Select any photo from your library - portraits, landscapes, logos, or artwork. 2. SIMPLIFY THE COLORS Use powerful posterization tools to reduce your image to paintable color zones. Adjust levels, contrast, and even extract a color palette to know exactly which paints to buy. 3. CREATE YOUR GRID Divide your image into a grid of squares. The app calculates the exact size each square should be. 4. TRACE WITH YOUR CAMERA Hold your phone up and use the AR camera overlay to trace each square. Pinch, zoom, and rotate to align perfectly. 5. COMPLETE YOUR PAINTING Track your progress as you paint. Mark squares complete and watch your masterpiece come together. KEY FEATURES: SMART POSTERIZATION • Reduce images to 2-10 colour levels • Multiple presets: Bold, Pop Art, Stencil, Vintage • HSB color mode for advanced control • Extract color palettes from your image • Custom color replacement FLEXIBLE GRID SYSTEM • Customizable rows and columns • Wall size calculator • Alphanumeric square labels (A1, B2, etc.) • Visual progress tracking AR CAMERA OVERLAY • Real-time image overlay on camera • Pinch to resize, rotate to align • Adjustable opacity • Position lock to prevent accidents • Built-in torch for low light PDF EXPORT • Print your grid as a reference guide • Perfect for planning large projects PROJECT MANAGEMENT • Save unlimited projects • Resume anytime • Track completion progress PERFECT FOR: • Painting portraits & landscapes • Bedroom & living room accent walls • Children's room murals • Garden walls and fences • Garage and basement art • Restaurant & café décor • Office and workspace murals • School art projects • Community murals • Street art and graffiti • Canvas enlargements • Stage backdrops • Shop signage SUBSCRIPTION Try Ctrl V Art Grid free, then unlock all features with a subscription or one-off payment: • Unlimited projects • All posterization styles • PDF export Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in Account Settings. Privacy Policy: https://barrelofsunshine.com/art-grid-privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you! hello@barrelofsunshine.com www.barrelofsunshine.com www.ctrlvartstudio.com Start your masterpiece today - download Ctrl V Art Grid now!

Screenshots

Tracing Buddy4 screens
Mural Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tracing Buddy at 4.5 against Mural Trace's 3.0. Tracing Buddy also leads on ratings volume (935 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Mural Trace's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Tracing Buddy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month and Mural Trace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tracing Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tracing Buddy has 935 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Tracing Buddy's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mural Trace's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, Mural Trace every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Tracing Buddy versus Mural Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTracing BuddyMural Trace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (935 ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews63.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings935 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLa FáppbricaBarrel of Sunshine

Customer experience

Tracing Buddy

All ratings935 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral4.0%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive63.5%
Neutral3.2%
Negative33.3%

Mural Trace

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Tracing Buddy

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Zoom feature not working
  • Grid feature not working as expected
  • Lock feature not working properly
  • App only works once, can't reuse

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to crop photo inside the app
  • Easier way to start a new drawing
  • Ability to rotate image
  • Grid with numbered overlay and adjustable starting point
  • Grid size based on specific measurements

Mural Trace

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Tracing Buddy

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$0.491 Month
  • Yearly subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Year
One-time2
  • Premium Features$9.99
  • Premium Features$12.99
3 purchases

Mural Trace

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly - Ctrl V Art Grid$3.991 Month
  • Annual - Ctrl V Art Grid$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access - Ctrl V Art Grid$9.99

Questions

Is Tracing Buddy free?
Tracing Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mural Trace free?
Mural Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tracing Buddy or Mural Trace?
Tracing Buddy is rated higher. Tracing Buddy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 935 ratings, while Mural Trace averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Tracing Buddy or Mural Trace have ads?
Tracing Buddy shows ads; Mural Trace does not.
Which is updated more often, Tracing Buddy or Mural Trace?
Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, and Mural Trace every 2 months. Most recently, Tracing Buddy was updated on October 18, 2026 and Mural Trace on October 13, 2026.

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