# PainterAR vs DrawBuddy

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | PainterAR | DrawBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (663 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/painterar-ar-trace-drawing/id1491111657/reviews) | [4.4 (479 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawbuddy-how-to-draw/id6445878162/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **663** | 479 |
| Positive reviews | **32.9% of reviews** | 19.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 190 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Painter AR Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896290460) | [Bohdan Hlushko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1622883946) |

## 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 | $34.99 | 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


### DrawBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawbuddy-how-to-draw/id6445878162)

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.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step drawing tutorials, Digital art creation, Apple Pencil support, Quick draw practice, Multiple drawing categories, Skill enhancement for beginners and professionals

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Weekly subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Three month subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Monthly subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $69.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $69.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Access | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Amazing drawings
- 👍 Good app for drawing
- 👍 Great app potential

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Requires payment for basic features
- 💰 Free trial issues
- 💰 Unexpected charges
- 💰 App not free
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Video not playing during free trial
- Payment pop-ups prevent drawing
- Charged full month instead of trial

**Requested features**

- More drawing options
- More pictures/drawings
- Make the app free
- Add pencil tool back


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PainterAR free?

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

### Is DrawBuddy free?

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

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

PainterAR and DrawBuddy are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 663 and 479 ratings respectively.

### Do PainterAR or DrawBuddy have ads?

Neither PainterAR nor DrawBuddy shows ads.

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

PainterAR ships an update weekly, and DrawBuddy every 3 weeks. Most recently, PainterAR was updated on October 14, 2026 and DrawBuddy on October 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.*