PainterAR vs DrawBuddy
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
DrawBuddy
Learn to draw with step-by-step tutorials and guides designed for artists of all levels. Enhance your digital art skills using Apple Pencil with a variety of drawing categories. Practice on the go with quick draw options and create masterpieces.
- Step-by-step drawing tutorials
- Digital art creation
- Apple Pencil support
- Quick draw practice
- Multiple drawing categories
- Skill enhancement for beginners and professionals
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This drawing app for iPad is the perfect tool for artists of all the levels to create a stunning digital art. With the use of the Apple Pencil, users can easily learn how to draw and develop their skills with the help of the art drawing tutorials and step-by-step guides. The app also features quick draw options for those who want to practice their skills on the go. Drawing lessons are available for users to improve their techniques and create masterpieces. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, this digital drawing app will provide everything you need to enhance your artistic abilities. The app offers a range of categories for drawing, including: • Architecture • Home Interior • Celebrities • People • Artists • Animals • Landscapes • Nature • Dinosaurs • Children • And others Download our drawing app for iPad and don’t forget to share it with your friends on social media or messengers. The app contains the following subscription options: • A 1-month membership costs from $6.99 • A 3-month membership costs from $12.99. • A 1-year membership costs from $29.99 after a 7-day free trial. The price is for US customers. Pricing in other countries may vary, and actual charges may be converted to your local currency, depending on the country of residence. Payment will be charged to the iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period and will identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user, and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. • Privacy Policy: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/privacy-policy • EULA: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/eula • Terms of use: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: PainterAR at free with in-app purchases against DrawBuddy's subscription. PainterAR also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 19%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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 DrawBuddy sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for PainterAR against 4.4 for DrawBuddy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 663 and 479 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of PainterAR's written reviews are positive against 19% of DrawBuddy's.
PainterAR ships an update weekly, DrawBuddy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PainterAR | DrawBuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (663 ratings) | 4.4 (479 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 32.9% of reviews — better | 19.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 663 — better | 479 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 190 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Painter AR Ltd. | Bohdan Hlushko |
Customer experience
PainterAR
DrawBuddy
User reviews
PainterAR
From 663 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎨 Helpful for drawing and improving art skills
- ⏱️ Saves time in the drawing process
- 📚 Provides useful tutorials and guides
Room to improve
- 💰 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
DrawBuddy
From 479 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Amazing drawings
- 👍 Good app for drawing
- 👍 Great app potential
Room to improve
- 💰 Requires payment for basic features
- 💰 Free trial issues
- 💰 Unexpected charges
- 💰 App not free
- 💰 Expensive subscription
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
DrawBuddy
Reported bugs
3 issues- Video not playing during free trial
- Payment pop-ups prevent drawing
- Charged full month instead of trial
Requested features
4 requests- More drawing options
- More pictures/drawings
- Make the app free
- Add pencil tool back
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
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- 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$34.991 Year
- PainterAR PRO$79.99
DrawBuddy
- Weekly subscription$6.997 Days
- Monthly subscription3 Days trial$7.991 Month
- Weekly subscription3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Monthly subscription$12.991 Month
- Three month subscription7 Days trial$19.993 Months
- Monthly subscription1 Month trial$19.991 Month
- Annual subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Annual subscription$39.991 Year
- Annual subscription7 Days trial$69.991 Year
- Annual subscription14 Days trial$69.991 Year
- Unlimited Access$79.99
Questions
Is PainterAR free?
Is DrawBuddy free?
Which has better reviews, PainterAR or DrawBuddy?
Do PainterAR or DrawBuddy have ads?
Which is updated more often, PainterAR or DrawBuddy?
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