Comparison

Painter Eye vs DrawBuddy

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

Head to head
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

About

DrawBuddy

Learn to draw with step-by-step tutorials and guides designed for artists of all levels. Enhance your digital art skills using Apple Pencil with a variety of drawing categories. Practice on the go with quick draw options and create masterpieces.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step drawing tutorials
  • Digital art creation
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Quick draw practice
  • Multiple drawing categories
  • Skill enhancement for beginners and professionals
Features
Read full description

This drawing app for iPad is the perfect tool for artists of all the levels to create a stunning digital art. With the use of the Apple Pencil, users can easily learn how to draw and develop their skills with the help of the art drawing tutorials and step-by-step guides. The app also features quick draw options for those who want to practice their skills on the go. Drawing lessons are available for users to improve their techniques and create masterpieces. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, this digital drawing app will provide everything you need to enhance your artistic abilities. The app offers a range of categories for drawing, including: • Architecture • Home Interior • Celebrities • People • Artists • Animals • Landscapes • Nature • Dinosaurs • Children • And others Download our drawing app for iPad and don’t forget to share it with your friends on social media or messengers. The app contains the following subscription options: • A 1-month membership costs from $6.99 • A 3-month membership costs from $12.99. • A 1-year membership costs from $29.99 after a 7-day free trial. The price is for US customers. Pricing in other countries may vary, and actual charges may be converted to your local currency, depending on the country of residence. Payment will be charged to the iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period and will identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user, and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. • Privacy Policy: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/privacy-policy • EULA: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/eula • Terms of use: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Painter Eye4 screens
DrawBuddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Painter Eye and DrawBuddy both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of Painter Eye's written reviews are positive against 19% of DrawBuddy's. Painter Eye also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). DrawBuddy's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Painter Eye sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and DrawBuddy sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Painter Eye has 6.2K ratings behind it against 483, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Painter Eye's written reviews are positive against 19% of DrawBuddy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Painter Eye versus DrawBuddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPainter EyeDrawBuddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (6.2K ratings) — better4.4 (483 ratings)
Positive reviews74.6% of reviews — better19.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6.2K — better483
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.117.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size159 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIvan HulidauBohdan Hlushko

Customer experience

Painter Eye

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

DrawBuddy

All ratings479 ratings
Positive83.5%
Neutral4.4%
Negative12.1%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive19.0%
Neutral9.5%
Negative71.4%

User reviews

Painter Eye

From 6.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💯 Excellent app
  • 🎨 Great drawing tools
  • 🆓 Free to use
  • 🤩 Awesome features
  • 🖌️ Helps improve drawing skills

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Lack of search functionality
  • 🔌 Requires internet connection
  • 🕹️ Difficult to use without a stand
  • 🔧 Some bugs and glitches
  • 💸 Ads can be intrusive

DrawBuddy

From 483 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Amazing drawings
  • 👍 Good app for drawing
  • 👍 Great app potential

Room to improve

  • 💰 Requires payment for basic features
  • 💰 Free trial issues
  • 💰 Unexpected charges
  • 💰 App not free
  • 💰 Expensive subscription

Bugs and 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

DrawBuddy

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Video not playing during free trial
  • Payment pop-ups prevent drawing
  • Charged full month instead of trial

Requested features

4 requests
  • More drawing options
  • More pictures/drawings
  • Make the app free
  • Add pencil tool back

In-app purchases

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
10 purchases

DrawBuddy

Subscriptions9
  • Weekly subscription$6.997 Days
  • Monthly subscription3 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Weekly subscription3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Show 6 more
  • Monthly subscription$12.991 Month
  • Three month subscription7 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • Monthly subscription1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Annual subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Annual subscription7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Annual subscription14 Days trial$69.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlimited Access$79.99

Questions

Is Painter Eye free?
Painter Eye is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DrawBuddy free?
DrawBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Painter Eye or DrawBuddy?
Painter Eye is rated higher. Painter Eye averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.2K ratings, while DrawBuddy averages 4.4 from 483 ratings.
Do Painter Eye or DrawBuddy have ads?
Painter Eye shows ads; DrawBuddy does not.
Which is updated more often, Painter Eye or DrawBuddy?
Painter Eye ships an update every 2 days, and DrawBuddy every 3 weeks. Most recently, Painter Eye was updated on November 10, 2026 and DrawBuddy on November 7, 2026.

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