# Mix & Paint vs Alchemy DIY

The clearest difference is update cadence: Alchemy DIY at every 4 days against Mix & Paint's every 3 months. Alchemy DIY also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Mix & Paint's advantage is ratings volume (89K vs 8.9K). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Alchemy DIY holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mix & Paint has 89K ratings behind it against 8.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Mix & Paint's written reviews are positive against 67% of Alchemy DIY's.

Mix & Paint ships an update every 3 months, Alchemy DIY every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mix & Paint | Alchemy DIY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (89K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mix-and-paint/id1492035864/reviews) | **[4.9 (8.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemy-diy-magic-lab/id6451245111/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **89K** | 8.9K |
| Positive reviews | 65.2% of reviews | **67.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 288 MB | 175 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Geisha Tokyo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/304321146) | [9UP COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846108017) |

## What reviewers say

### Mix & Paint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mix-and-paint/id1492035864)

Mix and match colors on a digital palette to recreate sample paintings. Score points by accurately matching colors and shapes, aiming for a perfect three-star rating on every level.

**Highlights:** Color mixing palette, Finger painting, Sample-based painting, Color and shape matching, Scoring system, Level-based progression

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Helps with depression, stress, and anxiety
- 👍 Fun and relaxing game
- 👍 Good for fine motor skills
- 👍 Enjoyable painting experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🎨 Inaccurate color mixing
- 🎨 Limited painting tools and controls

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when almost finished with a painting
- Painting gets reset after crashing
- Colors don't match what is displayed
- Painting gets automatically submitted before completion

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Ability to save and share paintings
- Reduced ads or ad-free option
- Improved color mixing and accuracy


### Alchemy DIY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemy-diy-magic-lab/id6451245111)

Combine various emoticons and icons to create unique new ones. Swipe, swap, and match to discover intriguing combinations across categories like smileys, animals, and cuisine. Save and share your creations with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Combine and match icons, Create new unique icons, Save and share creations, Over 1,000 different icons, No time limit

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Engaging and creative gameplay
- 💎 Unique emoji mixing mechanics
- 🎨 Wide variety of emojis to create

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Too many ads interrupting gameplay
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤔 Lack of clear instructions or tutorials

**Reported bugs**

- Progress not saving properly
- Glitches when trying to mix certain emojis
- Ads sometimes prevent returning to the game

**Requested features**

- Add option to disable ads
- Improve saving and progress tracking
- Expand emoji library with more options
- Provide more customization and personalization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mix & Paint free?

Mix & Paint is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Alchemy DIY free?

Alchemy DIY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mix & Paint or Alchemy DIY?

Alchemy DIY is rated higher. Mix & Paint averages 4.6 out of 5 from 89K ratings, while Alchemy DIY averages 4.9 from 8.9K ratings.

### Do Mix & Paint or Alchemy DIY have ads?

Both Mix & Paint and Alchemy DIY show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mix & Paint or Alchemy DIY?

Mix & Paint ships an update every 3 months, and Alchemy DIY every 4 days. Most recently, Mix & Paint was updated on November 9, 2026 and Alchemy DIY on November 6, 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.*