# Zen Brush 3 vs Outside+

The clearest difference is price: Outside+ at Free against Zen Brush 3's $4.99. Outside+ also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). Zen Brush 3's advantage is chart position (#90 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Outside+ is free to download; Zen Brush 3 costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Zen Brush 3 ships an update every 3 months, Outside+ every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zen Brush 3 | Outside+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.4 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **58** | — |
| Positive reviews | 59.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | — |
| Size | 226 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PSOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/373752450) | [俊 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511359065) |

## What reviewers say

### Zen Brush 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app allows users to create beautiful East Asian ink art, including calligraphy and painting. It simulates an ink brush with adjustable water and color features, offering a rich expressive range for both beginners and experienced artists. Easily share and edit your creations with various export options and background templates.

**Highlights:** Simulated 3D ink brush drawing, Adjustable water and color effects, Layer functionality for flexible editing, Import photos for tracing or backgrounds, Rich background and paper templates, Export to JPEG, PNG, and transparent PNG

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic brush simulation and ink blending
- 💧 Innovative water simulation and wet ink effects
- 🎯 Natural brush stroke behavior and responsiveness
- 🌈 Color palette addition in version 3
- 📄 Multiple paper textures and backgrounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Significant downgrade from version 2 in brush feel
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain and device heating
- ❌ Limited undo functionality (only 5 levels)
- 🎨 Mushy brush strokes at default resolution

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when setting maximum resolution
- Crashes when adding layers or importing images
- Crashes during high-resolution JPEG export
- iPad Pro M2 overheating and battery drain
- Apple Pencil input not recognized

**Requested features**

- Canvas rotation with two-finger gestures
- Increased undo/redo levels (more than 5)
- Grid or guide line display for practice
- Custom color wheel/palette picker
- Instant erase without animations


### Outside+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outside-plus/id6756814244)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zen Brush 3 free?

Zen Brush 3 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Outside+ free?

Outside+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Zen Brush 3 or Outside+ have ads?

Neither Zen Brush 3 nor Outside+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zen Brush 3 or Outside+?

Zen Brush 3 ships an update every 3 months, and Outside+ every 5 days. Most recently, Zen Brush 3 was updated on October 29, 2026 and Outside+ on October 25, 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.*