Comparison

Tracing Buddy vs String Art Color

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

String Art Color

Easily transform any image into intricate string art. Plan and create beautiful pin and thread drawings with step-by-step guidance, adapting to your creative vision with monochrome, color, and dark modes. Save and load your projects to continue your artistic journey.

Highlights
  • Image to string art conversion
  • Monochrome, color, and dark modes
  • Circular and square canvas options
  • Step-by-step threading guidance
  • Algorithm save and load functionality
  • High-resolution output
Features
Read full description

Transform any image into a stunning piece of string art — the kind of intricate, handcrafted beauty that stops people in their tracks. Whether you are a beginner picking up your first spool of thread or a seasoned creator looking to push your craft further, String Art Color - Pin Thread gives you everything you need to plan, create, and share breathtaking pin and thread drawing projects with confidence. String art is one of the most rewarding forms of hands-on creativity. The rhythmic weaving of thread from pin to pin, the gradual emergence of a geometric art masterpiece from what looked like chaos — it is meditative, satisfying, and endlessly impressive. But planning a complex string art project by hand has always been the hard part. Calculating the sequence of nails, managing multiple colors, keeping track of where each thread goes: this is where most people get stuck, give up, or end up with a tangled mess. String Art Color - Pin Thread solves all of that, so you can spend your time doing what you love — creating. At the heart of the app is a powerful three-mode generation system that adapts to your creative vision. Monochrome mode produces elegant single-color works inspired by the classic nail thread pattern creator tradition, where a single continuous line winds through hundreds of pins to form a recognizable portrait or shape. Color mode brings your designs to life with multiple hues, letting you build layered, vibrant compositions reminiscent of tapestry weaving and pixel art — each color mapped to its own precise thread path. Dark mode renders your art against a black background, producing the kind of high-contrast, glowing thread art that looks spectacular on dark fabric or black canvas boards. Your canvas options are just as flexible. Choose a circular frame for the mandala-style radial symmetry beloved in nail art and pin art communities, or go with a square frame for compositions that echo the grid-based logic of weave pattern and dot art design. Both frame types support detailed, high-resolution output so your final piece looks as good printed as it does on screen. What truly sets this app apart is its step-by-step guidance system. Rather than handing you a finished diagram and leaving you to figure it out, String Art Color - Pin Thread walks you through the entire threading process one move at a time. You will always know exactly which pin to go to next, which color to use, and where you are in the overall pattern. This feature alone transforms a potentially overwhelming diy string art maker experience into something approachable and genuinely fun — even for complete beginners working on their very first string craft project. For creators who work on multiple projects or want to pick up where they left off, the app includes full algorithm save and load functionality. Your thread sequences, color assignments, and frame configurations are all stored so you can return to any project exactly as you left it. No rebuilding from scratch, no lost progress — just seamless continuation of your creative work. Sharing and collaboration are built into the workflow as well. Export your template for printing, so you can transfer your nail layout directly to your physical board with precision. Export your color-coded algorithm to share with friends, students, workshop participants, or anyone in the string craft community who wants to recreate your design. These export features make String Art Color - Pin Thread an ideal tool not just for personal projects but for teaching, group workshops, and selling your own custom patterns. The app is designed for iPhone and iPad, with an interface that feels natural whether you are sketching out a quick design on your phone or working through a complex color composition on a larger screen.

Screenshots

Tracing Buddy4 screens
String Art Color4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tracing Buddy at 63% against String Art Color's 0%. Tracing Buddy also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (935 vs 1). String Art Color's advantage is 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 String Art Color sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 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 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tracing Buddy has 935 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Tracing Buddy's written reviews are positive against 0% of String Art Color's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, String Art Color every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Tracing Buddy versus String Art Color: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTracing BuddyString Art Color
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (935 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews63.5% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings935 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB42 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperLa FáppbricaKiem Pham Dinh

Customer experience

Tracing Buddy

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

String Art Color

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

String Art Color

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
2 purchases

String Art Color

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Yearly$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Tracing Buddy free?
Tracing Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is String Art Color free?
String Art Color is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tracing Buddy or String Art Color?
Tracing Buddy is rated higher. Tracing Buddy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 935 ratings, while String Art Color averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Tracing Buddy or String Art Color have ads?
Tracing Buddy shows ads; String Art Color does not.
Which is updated more often, Tracing Buddy or String Art Color?
Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, and String Art Color every 5 weeks. Most recently, Tracing Buddy was updated on September 26, 2026 and String Art Color on September 12, 2026.

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