# TraceArt vs Stencil

The clearest difference is rating: Stencil at 4.8 against TraceArt's 2.1. Stencil also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (42% vs 14%). TraceArt's advantage is iOS requirement (14.2 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TraceArt sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Stencil sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stencil holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 82 and 125 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of TraceArt's written reviews are positive against 42% of Stencil's.

TraceArt ships an update every 3 months, Stencil fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TraceArt | Stencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traceart/id1539017013/reviews) | **[4.8 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stencil-draw-with-guidelines/id1553707162/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 82 | **125** |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews | **41.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.2** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [KENICHI YAMAMOTO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1335325739) | [Studio Next Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540492736) |

## What reviewers say

### TraceArt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traceart/id1539017013)

Transform your smartphone into a drawing tool. Trace photos and illustrations onto paper with adjustable outline thickness and screen brightness. Perfect for aspiring artists of all skill levels.

**Highlights:** Trace photos and illustrations, Adjust outline thickness, Adjust image size, Screen lock with maximized brightness, Save unlimited sketches

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ADs | $2.99 | one-time |


### Stencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stencil-draw-with-guidelines/id1553707162)

Enhance your drawing skills with augmented reality guidelines. Customize and overlay guides onto photos or AI-generated images to create hand-drawn art for various projects. Improve your artistic abilities with ease.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality guidelines, Customizable drawing guides, AI image generation, Import photos for tracing, Hand-drawn art creation, Improve drawing skills

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stencil Plus Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Stencil Plus Quarterly | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Stencil Plus Yearly | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TraceArt free?

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

### Is Stencil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TraceArt or Stencil?

Stencil is rated higher. TraceArt averages 2.1 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Stencil averages 4.8 from 125 ratings.

### Do TraceArt or Stencil have ads?

TraceArt shows ads; Stencil does not.

### Which is updated more often, TraceArt or Stencil?

TraceArt ships an update every 3 months, and Stencil fortnightly. Most recently, TraceArt was updated on November 7, 2026 and Stencil on November 3, 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.*