# Stencil vs Mural Trace

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mural Trace at 100% against Stencil's 42%. Stencil's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (125 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stencil sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Mural Trace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stencil holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stencil has 125 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 42% of Stencil's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mural Trace's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Stencil ships an update fortnightly, Mural Trace every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stencil | Mural Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stencil-draw-with-guidelines/id1553707162/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mural-trace-ctrl-v-art-grid/id6737825938/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **125** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 167 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Studio Next Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540492736) | [Barrel of Sunshine](https://appshunter.io/developer/1774936914) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Mural Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mural-trace-ctrl-v-art-grid/id6737825938)

Easily transfer and enlarge any image onto surfaces like walls or canvas using a phone camera and the grid method. Simplify colors, create grids, and trace sections with AR overlay. Perfect for murals, art projects, and DIY décor.

**Highlights:** Image posterization with color simplification, Customizable grid system for tracing, AR camera overlay for real-time tracing, Color palette extraction, PDF export of grid reference, Project management and progress tracking

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly - Ctrl V Art Grid | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual - Ctrl V Art Grid | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access - Ctrl V Art Grid | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stencil free?

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

### Is Mural Trace free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stencil or Mural Trace?

Stencil is rated higher. Stencil averages 4.8 out of 5 from 125 ratings, while Mural Trace averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Stencil or Mural Trace have ads?

Neither Stencil nor Mural Trace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stencil or Mural Trace?

Stencil ships an update fortnightly, and Mural Trace every 2 months. Most recently, Stencil was updated on November 3, 2026 and Mural Trace on November 4, 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.*