# impcat vs Pencilled

The clearest difference is price: Pencilled at Free against impcat's $2.99. Pencilled also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 18 months). impcat's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#73 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Pencilled is free to download; impcat costs $2.99 up front. Pencilled sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. impcat asks for nothing beyond the download.

impcat ships an update every 18 months, Pencilled every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | impcat | Pencilled |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[2.7 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/impcat/id1496845136/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **48** | — |
| Positive reviews | 32.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | — |
| Size | 20 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Design Bench - Immersive Agency](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496845135) | [Aidan Metcalfe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870257942) |

## What reviewers say

### impcat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/impcat/id1496845136)

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

This app simulates photorealistic painting results for gaming and tabletop miniatures. It allows users to customize miniature sections with colors they own or plan to buy, using manufacturer-promoted palettes. The simulation includes base coloring, layering, shading, and highlighting.

**Highlights:** Photorealistic painting simulation, Customizable miniature sections, Manufacturer-promoted color palettes, Automated color complement recommendations, Shopping list generator, Custom color creation and mixing, Color scheme inspiration randomizer

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for planning paint schemes
- 💡 Useful for visualizing colors
- ✨ Realistic rendering
- 🚀 Helpful community support (subreddit)
- ✅ Good for beginners

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Very limited built-in models
- 💸 High cost for limited content
- 🧩 Complicated import process
- 🤷‍♂️ Lack of clear instructions
- ⏳ App feels abandoned/no updates

**Reported bugs**

- In-app store not working
- App restarts when using mixed colors
- Update broke Apple Pencil functionality on iPad
- File browser is annoying
- Importing models on iOS not functional

**Requested features**

- Add more Warhammer 40K .SVG models
- Include Citadel paint color references
- Permanent toggle-off for auto mode
- Landscape mode
- Easier way to import minis


### Pencilled

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencilled/id6763719013)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pencilled Pro Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Pencilled Pro - 1 Year | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is impcat free?

impcat costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pencilled free?

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

### Do impcat or Pencilled have ads?

Neither impcat nor Pencilled shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, impcat or Pencilled?

impcat ships an update every 18 months, and Pencilled every 2 days. Most recently, impcat was updated on October 16, 2026 and Pencilled 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.*