# Tracing Buddy vs Mural Trace

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tracing Buddy | Mural Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (935 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mural-trace-ctrl-v-art-grid/id6737825938/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **935** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 63.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [La Fáppbrica](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145) | [Barrel of Sunshine](https://appshunter.io/developer/1774936914) |

## What reviewers say

### Tracing Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.49 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $3.99 | per year |
| Premium Features | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Features | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Versatile and easy to use
- 👍 Cheap and has just the perfect amount of help
- 👍 Awesome app for pencil drawing and watercolor

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Zoom feature not working
- 🐛 Grid feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Lock feature not working properly
- 🐛 Instructions and customer support not helpful
- 🐛 Ads cover drawing area

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mural-trace-ctrl-v-art-grid/id6737825938)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly - Ctrl V Art Grid | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual - Ctrl V Art Grid | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access - Ctrl V Art Grid | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*