# Altenew vs Essential Stencil

The clearest difference is ads: Essential Stencil at none against Altenew's shown. Essential Stencil also leads on review sentiment (97% vs 78%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Altenew against 4.9 for Essential Stencil. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 865 and 751 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Altenew's written reviews are positive against 97% of Essential Stencil's.

Altenew ships an update every 2 weeks, Essential Stencil every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Altenew | Essential Stencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (865 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/altenew/id1473200343/reviews) | **[4.9 (751 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-stencil/id1558710666/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **865** | 751 |
| Positive reviews | 78.2% of reviews | **97.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Altenew, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473200342) | [Essential Stencil](https://appshunter.io/developer/1558710668) |

## What reviewers say

### Altenew

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/altenew/id1473200343)

Discover and shop for a wide range of paper crafting supplies directly from your mobile device. Browse exclusive deals, new product notifications, and enjoy a streamlined checkout experience for all your crafting needs.

**Highlights:** Shop paper crafting products, Enhanced mobile shopping experience, Express checkout, Special offers and flash sales, New product notifications, Exclusive discounts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 🚀 Quick and smooth checkout
- 💡 Helpful push notifications
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Fast and accurate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Scrolling issues with new UI
- 🐛 Difficulty finding search function
- 🐛 Inconsistent account syncing
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Slow loading of product pages

**Reported bugs**

- Persistent red notification icon
- Incomplete product loading in categories
- Inability to add credit card automatically

**Requested features**

- Ability to view full website on app
- Improved search functionality
- Seamless integration between app and website
- Option to disable push notifications
- Better organization of past orders and wish lists


### Essential Stencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-stencil/id1558710666)

Discover and shop for premium, reusable sign stencils made from flexible mylar. These durable stencils are designed for repeated use, saving you time, effort, and reducing waste while ensuring beautiful results for your projects.

**Highlights:** Premium reusable sign stencils, Durable mylar material, Flexible and rugged design, Save time and effort, Reduce waste, Achieve gorgeous results

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 High-quality products
- 🎨 Excellent crafting supplies
- 💕 Great customer service
- 🤩 Inspiring ambassadors
- 🔍 Wide selection of designs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen not working for some users

**Requested features**

- More children/nursery themed designs
- Expanded product lines


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Altenew free?

Altenew is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essential Stencil free?

Essential Stencil is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Altenew or Essential Stencil?

Essential Stencil is rated higher. Altenew averages 4.8 out of 5 from 865 ratings, while Essential Stencil averages 4.9 from 751 ratings.

### Do Altenew or Essential Stencil have ads?

Altenew shows ads; Essential Stencil does not.

### Which is updated more often, Altenew or Essential Stencil?

Altenew ships an update every 2 weeks, and Essential Stencil every 3 weeks. Most recently, Altenew was updated on October 17, 2026 and Essential Stencil on October 15, 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.*