# Realistic Paint Studio vs Paint by Code

The clearest difference is price: Paint by Code at $3.99 against Realistic Paint Studio's $11.99. Paint by Code also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). Realistic Paint Studio's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.2). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Realistic Paint Studio costs $11.99 and Paint by Code $3.99 up front. Realistic Paint Studio sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Paint by Code asks for nothing beyond the download.

Realistic Paint Studio ships an update every 5 weeks, Paint by Code every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Realistic Paint Studio | Paint by Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $11.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (765 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realistic-paint-studio/id1529593385/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **765** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 1005 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Komarov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529593777) | [Tom Paape](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868007411) |

## What reviewers say

### Realistic Paint Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realistic-paint-studio/id1529593385)

This digital art software offers a familiar art station experience with realistic brushes, pencils, and markers. It allows users to create art in drawing, watercolor, and oil painting styles with a unique color engine and diverse canvas textures. Step-by-step tutorials and live demonstrations guide users through the creative process.

**Highlights:** Realistic color engine, Drawing, Watercolor, Oil Painting styles, Realistic brushes and tools, Realistic canvases with diverse textures, Live demonstration of drawing methods, Step-by-step tutorials

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Artistic brush | Free | one-time |
| Mechanical pen | Free | one-time |
| Glitz pen | Free | one-time |
| Glass pen | Free | one-time |
| Fountain pen | Free | one-time |
| Calligraphy brush | Free | one-time |
| Hieroglyph brush | Free | one-time |
| Diamond brush | Free | one-time |
| Album with six color sheets | Free | one-time |
| All brushes from the VIP box | Free | one-time |
| Dragon brush | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crystal brush | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic and immersive painting experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Excellent brush dynamics and color blending
- 🎨 Wide variety of traditional media tools
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing presentation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Limited export options (no PSD, no transparent background)
- 🔒 Restricted canvas size and resolution
- 🔒 Lack of customization for brushes and tools

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when using the camera feature
- Inconsistent behavior with the undo/redo function
- Issues with the color mixing in the palette
- Delayed response and lag when using Apple Pencil

**Requested features**

- Add support for PSD export with layers
- Implement canvas rotation and resizing options
- Allow for more brush customization and pressure sensitivity
- Improve color picker and palette functionality
- Introduce a simple, distraction-free canvas mode


### Paint by Code

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-by-code/id6791082042)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Realistic Paint Studio free?

Realistic Paint Studio costs $11.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Paint by Code free?

Paint by Code costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Realistic Paint Studio or Paint by Code have ads?

Neither Realistic Paint Studio nor Paint by Code shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Realistic Paint Studio or Paint by Code?

Realistic Paint Studio ships an update every 5 weeks, and Paint by Code every 10 days. Most recently, Realistic Paint Studio was updated on November 3, 2026 and Paint by Code on October 31, 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.*