PainterAR vs TraceAR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PainterAR
Transform your paper sketches into digital art with augmented reality projection and advanced tracing tools. This app offers a complete workflow from initial drawing to digital inking and coloring, with professional layering and a curated inspiration library.
- AR drawing with stable projection
- Advanced AR anchor mode for free movement
- Smart plane detection for instant surface recognition
- Import sketches for digital inking
- 30+ professional brushes
- Infinite layers system for complex edits
- Curated inspiration library and courses
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Experience the ultimate "Paper-to-Digital" creative companion. Unlike simple tracing apps, PainterAR creates a complete loop from "Paper Sketch" to "Digital Art". Whether you are a beginner building confidence or a comic enthusiast pursuing professional results, you will find the perfect solution here. 【KEY FEATURES】 1. AR Drawing: Perfect Proportions Technology makes observation intuitive. • Stand Mode: Stable projection with zero latency. The ideal way for beginners to master hand-eye coordination. • Advanced AR Anchor Mode: Lock your virtual art to the paper by snapping a custom anchor (e.g., a doodle or card). Move your phone freely to check details without drift—ideal for easels or detailed desk work. • Smart Plane Detection: Instantly detects surfaces without markers. Start creating anywhere, anytime. 2. Digital Inking & Coloring Classic digital art workflow made easy. • Import & Inking: One-tap import of pencil sketches as a reference layer. • Pro Brush Library: 30+ selected brushes (pencils, ink pens, markers, etc.) for any style. 3. Infinite Layers System Modify without fear. • Professional Layering: Manage line art, base colors, and shadows on separate layers to keep even complex works organized. • Non-Destructive Workflow: Change color schemes anytime without ruining your original line art. 4. Curated Inspiration Library Quality over quantity. • Exclusive Originals: Explore themes from "Fantasy Props" to "Cat Girl" and "Mystic Elf Theatre". • Progressive Courses: From beginner "Playful Shape Friends" to advanced "Fan Art". Every lesson blends storytelling with skills, helping you create stylish art immediately. 【WHO IS IT FOR?】 • Comic Fans: Master the "Sketch -> Import -> Color" workflow. • Beginners: Use AR to fix proportions and build confidence. • Pros: Visual aid for anatomy and perspective. 【AWARDS】 ▶ Microsoft “Imagine Cup” – Top 3 ▶ 13th “Challenge Cup” – 1st Place ▶ 2nd “Internet+” Innovation Competition – 1st Place ▶ 4th College Innovation Competition – 1st Place Privacy Policy: https://painterar.com/Privacy.aspx Terms of Use: https://painterar.com/Terms.aspx Download PainterAR now. Turn your sketchbook into a digital studio! Contact: support@painterar.com
TraceAR
Transform photos into outlines and use augmented reality to project them onto paper for tracing via your device's camera. A demo is included, with an in-app purchase to unlock your personal photo library.
- Photo to outline conversion
- Augmented reality projection
- Trace images with device camera
- Demo image for testing
- Unlock personal photo library via IAP
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Convert a photo into an outline then use augmented reality to project the image onto paper and trace through your device's camera. The app includes a demo image to try out the tracing features and if you like it - then through an In-App purchase you can unlock access to your personal photo library to trace one of your own images. The augmented reality feature requires an image to 'anchor' to - so it's a good idea to use something like a ruler or a passport photo as an anchor point. - The app needs access to your camera in order to use augmented reality tracing. - To select your own photo, the app needs access to your photo library if you purchase the In-App Purchase option
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PainterAR at 4.4 against TraceAR's 1.0. PainterAR also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 0%) and ratings volume (662 vs 3). TraceAR's advantage is update cadence (daily vs weekly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. PainterAR sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days and TraceAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PainterAR holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PainterAR has 662 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of PainterAR's written reviews are positive against 0% of TraceAR's.
PainterAR ships an update weekly, TraceAR daily. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PainterAR | TraceAR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (662 ratings) — better | 1.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 662 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 188 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Painter AR Ltd. | DavidsonAHW |
Customer experience
PainterAR
TraceAR
Bugs and requests
PainterAR
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes frequently during use
- Issues with loading own photos and images
- AR mode is unreliable and hard to control
Requested features
4 requests- Add more free drawing options and templates
- Improve the ability to use own photos and images
- Provide better instructions and tutorials for new users
- Fix crashes and stability issues
TraceAR
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PainterAR
- PainterAR-PRO7 Days trial$8.997 Days
- First 3-Day Free3 Days trial$8.997 Days
- Painter PRO$8.997 Days
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- PainterAR-PRO7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- 1 Month$9.991 Month
- PainterAR-PRO1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- PainterAR PRO$29.993 Months
- Special Offer$29.991 Year
- 1 Year1 Year trial$29.991 Year
- PainterAR-PRO7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- First 3-Day Free3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- PainterAR PRO$79.99
TraceAR
- Unlock Photo Library$1.99
Questions
Is PainterAR free?
Is TraceAR free?
Which has better reviews, PainterAR or TraceAR?
Do PainterAR or TraceAR have ads?
Which is updated more often, PainterAR or TraceAR?
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