Comparison

Stencil vs DrawCoach

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

Head to head
About

Stencil

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
Read full description

Bring ideas from your screen to paper. Stencil helps you trace images and lettering into journals, cards, postcards and other hand-drawn projects. Choose a doodle from the library, use a photo, or generate an image with AI. Add your own text and choose a lettering style to trace. Follow on-screen camera guidelines as you draw on paper, or register a printed reference image for AR drawing. Adjust your stencil’s placement and appearance to suit the page. Follow built-in drawing lessons and explore journal prompts for your next notebook session. Stencil supports English and ten additional app languages, including Arabic with right-to-left layouts. Stencil Plus is an auto-renewing subscription. Access to features and content may require a subscription. Available plans, prices and any trial eligibility are shown in the app before purchase. Manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Privacy policy: https://stencil-journal.web.app/privacy.html Terms of use: https://stencil-journal.web.app/terms.html

About

DrawCoach

Read full description

Learn to draw on real paper, one step at a time. DrawCoach pairs guided drawing lessons with camera tracing and AR guides, so you can pick up a pencil and start making something of your own. LEARN HOW A DRAWING TAKES SHAPE Explore over 40 guided lessons, from approachable first sketches to detailed studies. Begin with proportions and simple shapes, then build the drawing in a sensible order. Follow step demonstrations, understand why each mark matters, and check your work as you go. Pause and return to your saved place whenever you like. DRAW WITH A GUIDE ON YOUR PHONE See your reference over the camera view and adjust its size, position, and opacity to fit your page. On supported iPhones, place an AR guide on your drawing surface. You make the marks yourself, with pencil and paper. FIND YOUR NEXT DRAWING Browse hundreds of outlines, including animals, flowers, landscapes, portraits, and anime-inspired designs. Explore the drawing library for free, or trace a photo from your own collection. MAKE A PHOTO READY TO DRAW Turn a chosen photo into a drawing outline. Adjust the level of detail and optionally remove the background to focus on your subject. TURN AN IDEA INTO AN OUTLINE Describe something you would love to draw and create a reference with AI. Picture creation and photo conversion include a limited free allowance; further use requires Pro. AI features need an internet connection and your permission to process the description or selected photo. KEEP YOUR PROGRESS Return to saved drawings, keep photos of finished work, and record drawing sessions to watch or share later. DRAWCOACH PRO Start with a free introductory lesson. Pro unlocks the full guided course and includes 100 AI credits per calendar month, shared across picture creation and photo conversion. Credit costs vary by feature, and daily limits apply. View your allowance and costs in the app. Choose a monthly or annual subscription. Prices and any eligible free trial are shown before you subscribe. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account settings. Use a stable phone support and good lighting. AR requires a supported iPhone and a suitable drawing surface. Privacy: https://drawcoach-legal.pages.dev/privacy App terms: https://drawcoach-legal.pages.dev/terms Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stencil4 screens
DrawCoach4 screens

Verdict

The call

Stencil and DrawCoach are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Stencil sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and DrawCoach sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Stencil versus DrawCoach: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStencilDrawCoach
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (125 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings125 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB357 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStudio Next LtdSimon Day

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Stencil

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$8.991 Month
  • Stencil Plus Quarterly3 Days trial$12.993 Months
  • Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$44.991 Year
2 purchases

DrawCoach

Subscriptions2
  • DrawCoach Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • DrawCoach Pro Annual7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Stencil free?
Stencil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DrawCoach free?
DrawCoach is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Stencil or DrawCoach have ads?
Neither Stencil nor DrawCoach shows ads.

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