Comparison

FocalPaint vs Axiom Solver

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

Axiom Solver

Create realistic fire, smoke, explosions, and magical effects using GPU-accelerated 3D fluid simulation. This tool is designed for professional artists and studios, but is also accessible for learning and experimentation on iPad.

Highlights
  • GPU-accelerated fluid simulation
  • Create fire, smoke, and explosions
  • Visual effects for movies and games
  • Export scenes for Houdini integration
  • Sketch ideas and learn VFX
  • Fun for creative experimentation
Features
Read full description

Axiom is a GPU accelerated 3D fluid solver that lets you create fire, smoke, explosions, magic, and more! Axiom is used by professional artists and studios to create visual effects for movies & games and now you can use it on iPad!  Use it to sketch ideas, learn more about visual effects, or just have fun! If you want to push your effect even further you can export your scenes and import them into SideFX's Houdini using Axiom for Houdini.

Screenshots

FocalPaint1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FocalPaint at 79% against Axiom Solver's 0%. FocalPaint also leads on ratings volume (13 vs 4). Axiom Solver's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads 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

Axiom Solver is free to download; FocalPaint costs $4.99 up front. FocalPaint sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Axiom Solver asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Axiom Solver holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of FocalPaint's written reviews are positive against 0% of Axiom Solver's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
FocalPaint versus Axiom Solver: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocalPaintAxiom Solver
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (13 ratings)4.5 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better4
Update frequencyMonthly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS18.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size557 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerbrien dieterleTheory Accelerated LLC

Customer experience

FocalPaint

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

Axiom Solver

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

FocalPaint

One-time3
  • Generous Tip$0.99
  • Big Tip$4.99
  • Huge Tip$9.99
None

Axiom Solver

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FocalPaint free?
FocalPaint costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Axiom Solver free?
Axiom Solver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FocalPaint or Axiom Solver?
Axiom Solver is rated higher. FocalPaint averages 4.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Axiom Solver averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.
Do FocalPaint or Axiom Solver have ads?
Neither FocalPaint nor Axiom Solver shows ads.

Other comparisons