Comparison

TraceArt vs Painter Eye

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

Head to head
About

TraceArt

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
Read full description

Anyone can easily draw a good picture!! TraceArt is an app that allows you to trace photos and illustrations on your smartphone. You don't need talent for painting, all you need is a paper and pencil! *How to use the app 1.Select your favorite photo or illustration from the album. 2.Adjust the thickness of the outline and adjust the size of the image. 3. Lock the screen with the screen lock button (At the same time, the screen brightness is maximized) 4. Place the paper on the screen and draw a picture. You can save as many sketches as you like. *Others Use thin, transparent paper as much as possible. Photos and illustrations with clear boundaries are recommended. *Advertisements will be displayed in the free version. ICONS by icons8(https://icons8.com)

About

Painter Eye

Transform photos into art on real paper using AR projection. This app acts as a portable tracing studio, overlaying images onto your surface for accurate drawing. Explore multiple creative modes and AI-powered tools to bring your artistic visions to life.

Highlights
  • AR projection for tracing on paper
  • Live camera tracing mode
  • Digital canvas with brushes
  • Photo import and stencils
  • AI-powered reference creation
  • Adjustable size, rotation, and transparency
Features
Read full description

Turn any photo into art on real paper with Painter Eye — your AR art projector and portable tracing studio for iPhone and iPad. HOW IT WORKS Painter Eye works like an art projector, light box, and AR tracing tool in one. Open your reference, point your camera at paper or canvas, and see the image overlaid with accurate proportions. Prop your phone on a glass, tripod, or stack of books — then adjust size, rotation, and transparency with intuitive sliders at the bottom of the screen. Trace with pencil, pen, or brush on real surfaces, not only on the display. FOUR CREATIVE MODES • Camera — live-camera tracing: move and resize your reference while you draw • AR — track an anchor image on a real object so your sketch stays aligned when you move the phone • Board — sketch on a digital canvas with built-in brushes and tools • Paint — color and finish your artwork SKETCHING & TEMPLATES Import photos from your library or explore stencils and categories inside the app. Apply filters, turn pictures into outlines, build compositions step by step, and transform portraits into expressive sketches. Painter Eye: Canvas Creator adds colors, drawing styles, and monochrome looks for both on-screen and on-paper workflows. AI & MORE Create line-ready references faster, browse templates, and go from idea to finished sketch in minutes — whether you love anime, portraits, or everyday subjects. WHO IT'S FOR Beginners learning proportions, hobbyists, students, and artists who want accurate tracing on real paper with their own photos — without expensive projector equipment. Experience the joy of artistic expression where augmented reality and creativity meet. Terms of Use - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy - https://www.notion.so/Privacy-Policy-371324c3d26880a5961eea460064aa99?source=copy_link

Screenshots

TraceArt3 screens
Painter Eye4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Painter Eye at 75% against TraceArt's 14%. Painter Eye also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.1) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). TraceArt's advantage is iOS requirement (14.2 vs 18.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. TraceArt sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Painter Eye sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Painter Eye holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Painter Eye has 6.2K ratings behind it against 82, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of TraceArt's written reviews are positive against 75% of Painter Eye's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TraceArt ships an update every 3 months, Painter Eye every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TraceArt versus Painter Eye: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTraceArtPainter Eye
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.1 (82 ratings)4.6 (6.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews14.3% of reviews74.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings826.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.2 — better18.1
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB159 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKENICHI YAMAMOTOIvan Hulidau

Customer experience

TraceArt

All ratings73 ratings
Positive23.3%
Neutral2.7%
Negative74.0%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive14.3%
Neutral3.6%
Negative82.1%

Painter Eye

All ratings6,204 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews641 reviews
Positive74.6%
Neutral7.3%
Negative18.1%

Bugs and requests

TraceArt

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Painter Eye

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Drawing screen appears black
  • Tracing feature is not working as expected
  • App crashes or freezes occasionally

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more drawing templates and options
  • Implement a search feature
  • Improve offline functionality
  • Provide more customization options
  • Enhance the drawing tools and precision

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TraceArt

One-time1
  • Remove ADs$2.99
5 purchases

Painter Eye

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Month3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • 3 Months$16.993 Months
  • 1 Year$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • 1 Year$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is TraceArt free?
TraceArt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Painter Eye free?
Painter Eye is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TraceArt or Painter Eye?
Painter Eye is rated higher. TraceArt averages 2.1 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Painter Eye averages 4.6 from 6.2K ratings.
Do TraceArt or Painter Eye have ads?
Both TraceArt and Painter Eye show ads.
Which is updated more often, TraceArt or Painter Eye?
TraceArt ships an update every 3 months, and Painter Eye every 2 days. Most recently, TraceArt was updated on November 7, 2026 and Painter Eye on November 10, 2026.

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