PainterAR vs Flowly
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
Flowly
This app allows you to trace images and text onto a surface using your mobile device's camera. It offers free fonts and shapes, with a pro version unlocking custom uploads and advanced features.
- Camera-based tracing
- Free fonts and shapes
- Upload custom images
- Access exclusive designs
- Unlimited preset layers
- AR drawing capabilities
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Not ready for a projector? Flowly is a camera based tracing tool that comes with choices of free fonts and shapes for your drawing. How to draw - Put your mobile device on a tall glass with camera lens facing down. - Place your canvas underneath the camera lens. - Trace the image while looking through the camera view. - The app doesn’t physically project images onto the surface because a mobile device doesn’t have the capability to do so. Pro version (monthly or yearly subscription) - Upload your own images and fonts - Access to advanced features - Access to exclusive calligraphy designs and line arts - Unlimited preset layers Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Email: admin@flowlyapp.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PainterAR at 4.4 against Flowly's 4.1. PainterAR also leads on ratings volume (662 vs 54) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Flowly's advantage is review sentiment (42% vs 33%). 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 Flowly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PainterAR holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PainterAR has 662 ratings behind it against 54, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of PainterAR's written reviews are positive against 42% of Flowly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
PainterAR ships an update weekly, Flowly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PainterAR | Flowly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (662 ratings) — better | 4.1 (54 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 41.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 662 — better | 54 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 188 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Painter AR Ltd. | Flowly LLC |
Customer experience
PainterAR
Flowly
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
Flowly
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
Flowly
- Flowly Pro Features7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Flowly Pro Features7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Questions
Is PainterAR free?
Is Flowly free?
Which has better reviews, PainterAR or Flowly?
Do PainterAR or Flowly have ads?
Which is updated more often, PainterAR or Flowly?
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