# PainterAR vs AR Sketch

The clearest difference is ads: PainterAR at none against AR Sketch's shown. PainterAR also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). AR Sketch's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (42% vs 33%). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PainterAR sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days and AR Sketch sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AR Sketch holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 663 and 768 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of PainterAR's written reviews are positive against 42% of AR Sketch's.

PainterAR ships an update weekly, AR Sketch every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PainterAR | AR Sketch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (663 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/painterar-ar-trace-drawing/id1491111657/reviews) | **[4.6 (768 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-sketch-trace-anything/id6453163710/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 663 | **768** |
| Positive reviews | 32.9% of reviews | **42.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 190 MB | 153 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) | [Nikhil Viradiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639499778) |

## 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


### AR Sketch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-sketch-trace-anything/id6453163710)

This app allows you to trace any image onto paper using augmented reality. Select a photo or choose from the app's library, then view it as a transparent overlay on your camera feed to draw on a physical surface. Adjust line thickness, color, and add text to your creations.

**Highlights:** Trace images using AR, Import photos or use in-app library, Adjustable line thickness and color, Add text and graphical elements, Convert images to tracing format, Draw on physical paper via camera feed

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trace to Draw One Week | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| AR - Trace to Draw One Month | $5.99 | per month |
| AR - Trace to Draw Three Month | $24.99 | per 3 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for drawing
- 🎨 Good for painting
- 🎨 Allows creative expression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Camera issues affecting drawing quality
- 🔍 Lack of search feature
- 💰 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Potential security/malware concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Camera keeps moving when trying to take pictures
- App forces close when trying to start
- Drawing quality is poor despite tracing
- App doesn't work on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add search feature
- Improve camera integration
- Reduce ads or offer paid ad-free version
- Fix crashes and stability issues


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PainterAR free?

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

### Is AR Sketch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PainterAR or AR Sketch?

AR Sketch is rated higher. PainterAR averages 4.4 out of 5 from 663 ratings, while AR Sketch averages 4.6 from 768 ratings.

### Do PainterAR or AR Sketch have ads?

AR Sketch shows ads; PainterAR does not.

### Which is updated more often, PainterAR or AR Sketch?

PainterAR ships an update weekly, and AR Sketch every 2 months. Most recently, PainterAR was updated on October 26, 2026 and AR Sketch on October 23, 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.*