# PainterAR vs Ricalko

The clearest difference is monetization model: PainterAR at free with in-app purchases against Ricalko's subscription. PainterAR also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (33% vs 11%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PainterAR sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days and Ricalko sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. 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 83, 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 11% of Ricalko's.

PainterAR ships an update weekly, Ricalko every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PainterAR | Ricalko |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (662 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/painterar-ar-trace-drawing/id1491111657/reviews)** | [4.1 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ricalko-camera-lucida-artwork/id1632440242/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **662** | 83 |
| Positive reviews | **33.3% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 188 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Painter AR Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896290460) | [GENOVA Softworks](https://appshunter.io/developer/954347533) |

## What reviewers say

### PainterAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/painterar-ar-trace-drawing/id1491111657)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PainterAR-PRO | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| First 3-Day Free | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Painter PRO | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| PainterAR-PRO | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| PainterAR-PRO | $9.99 | per month |
| PainterAR PRO | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Special Offer | $29.99 | per year |
| 1 Year | $29.99 | per year |
| PainterAR-PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| First 3-Day Free | $39.99 | per year |
| PainterAR PRO | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Helpful for drawing and improving art skills
- ⏱️ Saves time in the drawing process
- 📚 Provides useful tutorials and guides

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overly restrictive free trial and paywall for full features
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs that disrupt the drawing process
- 🔍 Difficult to use own photos without paying
- 🤖 AR mode is not very responsive or accurate

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently during use
- Issues with loading own photos and images
- AR mode is unreliable and hard to control

**Requested features**

- 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


### Ricalko

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ricalko-camera-lucida-artwork/id1632440242)

Transform photos into traceable art projections using your device's camera. Ideal for both aspiring artists and experienced creators, this tool offers features like layer separation and perspective correction to help you achieve stunning results on any surface.

**Highlights:** Project photos for tracing, Layer separation for detailed drawing, Perspective mode for angled projection, Augmented reality tracing with markers, Creative filters for art styles, Zoom for precision drawing

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Unlock | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Ricalko 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Ricalko for 1 Year | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PainterAR free?

PainterAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Ricalko free?

Ricalko is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PainterAR or Ricalko?

PainterAR is rated higher. PainterAR averages 4.4 out of 5 from 662 ratings, while Ricalko averages 4.1 from 83 ratings.

### Do PainterAR or Ricalko have ads?

Neither PainterAR nor Ricalko shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PainterAR or Ricalko?

PainterAR ships an update weekly, and Ricalko every 5 months. Most recently, PainterAR was updated on September 25, 2026 and Ricalko on September 7, 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.*