Comparison

FocalPaint vs Atai

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FocalPaint

This app offers a unique brush engine for realistic paint simulation, pigment mixing, and canvas textures. It allows for custom brush and layer creation using Metal GPU or Javascript code, with advanced features like spectral color models and Apple Pencil Pro support.

Highlights
  • Realistic paint and pigment mixing
  • Custom brush and layer creation
  • Transparent ink simulation
  • Apple Pencil Pro support
  • Spectral color model
  • Open source shader code library
Features
Read full description

FocalPaint's unique brush engine simulates thick paint and real pigment mixing with accurate physics models. Features: - Realistic color blending behaves like real paint! - Real canvas texture and paint thickness - Transparent Ink simulation - Open Source GPU shader code library for reference and customization - Write your own custom brush with Metal GPU or Javascript code - Write your own custom layer modes with Metal GPU code - Apple Pencil Pro support with hover - 16 channel "spectral" color model (256 bits per pixel) - Wide color gamut (P3) Please note: Apple A12 GPU or newer is required Terms of Use: https://www.focalpaint.com/p/terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://www.focalpaint.com/p/privacy.html Special Thanks to: Scott Allen Burns Troy James Sobotka & Friends colour-science.org python library MyPaint painting software team Anna Timm (@anti-art)

About

Atai

Create precise vector drawings with an infinite canvas and advanced curve tools. Refine strokes, manage layers, and organize projects with an intuitive file manager. Unlock full export capabilities with a pro version.

Highlights
  • Vector drawing with Bézier curves
  • Infinite canvas
  • Layer management
  • Intuitive file manager
  • Grids and alignment tools
  • Undo/Redo functionality
Features
Read full description

Atai saves your drawings in vector format, which means they can be modified at any size at any time. It's the perfect tools for Artists, Designers, Architects and Drawing enthusiasts who want to take their creativity to next level. What sets our App apart is its emphasis on the use of Bézier Curves. You can start by drawing a freehand stroke and end up in a precise technical drawing with the help of Grids and Layers. Atai provide specific tools for working with curves. You can add and remove control points to further refine your strokes with complete control of the shape and flow of your drawings. In addition to manual control, our App also offers automatic function for smoothing and adjusting those curves. Force, Speed are handling easily to take a smooth good looking stroke. The intuitive File Manager based on Colored Tabs give you and easy and fast access to your drawing. You can order all your drawings in a hierarchical way. Favorites, Recents & Folders are tools that will help in this task. ATAI HAS IN-APP PURCHASES. YOU CAN FULLY USE ALL ITS FEATURES BUT YOU NEED TO BUY THE PRO-VERSION TO BE ABLE TO EXPORT FORMATS LARGER, PROPRIETARY OR NEW ONES. Tools at your disposal: - Infinite Canvas. - Insert or drag and drop Images. - Polygons from strokes, paths or manually. - Circles, Square & Curves. - Pencil, Pen, Marker, Liner & Round Marker based brushes. - Colors Palettes, predefined COPIC palettes. (COPIC is the trademark of Too Corporation) - Last Colors Palettes. - Color Picker. - Stroke Width, Opacity & Smoothing. - Close & Break Paths. - Duplicate, Send To Back or Bring To Front Objects. - Flip Horizontal or Vertical. - Add, Delete and Change type Bezier anchor Points. - Undo, Redo unlimited. - Import, Export .atai (proprietary file format). - In-App Purchase for export Canvas & All Drawing size.(More in near future.) - Unlimited Drawing Size. - Canvas Size, Orientation & Resolution. - Canvas Mask with a system set of Backgrounds. Scale & Rotate. - Layers Masks with a system set of Patterns. - No limits Layers. - Color, Brush, Size, Opacity & Smoothing by Layer. - Line types & Opacity by Layer - Grids, Align, Snap, Light and Dark Color grids, spacing & divisions. - Orthographic, Isometric & Perspective grids. - Zoom & Rotations of Drawing Canvas. - Move Strokes or Objects between Layers. If you're looking for a powerful and versatile vector drawing app, then Atai is the perfect choice for you. With its wide range of features and benefits, Atai is the perfect tool for anyone who wants to create high-quality hand drawings in a vector format.

Screenshots

FocalPaint1 screens
Atai3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Atai at Free against FocalPaint's $4.99. Atai also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). FocalPaint's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.0) and ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Atai is free to download; FocalPaint costs $4.99 up front. FocalPaint sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Atai sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FocalPaint holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FocalPaint has 13 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of FocalPaint's written reviews are positive against 60% of Atai's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FocalPaint ships an update monthly, Atai every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
FocalPaint versus Atai: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocalPaintAtai
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (13 ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews78.6% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better2
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size557 MB74 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerbrien dieterlePatricio Lagos

Customer experience

FocalPaint

All ratings13 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive78.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative21.4%

Atai

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

FocalPaint

One-time3
  • Generous Tip$0.99
  • Big Tip$4.99
  • Huge Tip$9.99
1 purchases

Atai

One-time1
  • Pro Version$3.99

Questions

Is FocalPaint free?
FocalPaint costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Atai free?
Atai is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FocalPaint or Atai?
FocalPaint is rated higher. FocalPaint averages 4.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Atai averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do FocalPaint or Atai have ads?
Atai shows ads; FocalPaint does not.
Which is updated more often, FocalPaint or Atai?
FocalPaint ships an update monthly, and Atai every 2 months. Most recently, FocalPaint was updated on September 23, 2026 and Atai on October 7, 2026.

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