# Painter Eye vs DrawBuddy

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.

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.

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.

Painter Eye ships an update every 2 days, DrawBuddy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Painter Eye | DrawBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (6.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/painter-eye-ar-drawing-app/id1555476303/reviews)** | [4.4 (483 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawbuddy-how-to-draw/id6445878162/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.2K** | 483 |
| Positive reviews | **74.6% of reviews** | 19.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 159 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ivan Hulidau](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497112883) | [Bohdan Hlushko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1622883946) |

## What reviewers say

### Painter Eye

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/painter-eye-ar-drawing-app/id1555476303)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month | $6.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $16.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year | $19.99 | per year |
| 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### DrawBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawbuddy-how-to-draw/id6445878162)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Weekly subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Three month subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Monthly subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $69.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $69.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Access | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- More drawing options
- More pictures/drawings
- Make the app free
- Add pencil tool back


## Frequently asked 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 11, 2026 and DrawBuddy on November 7, 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.*