Comparison

Calca app vs AR Sketch Art

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

Head to head
About

Calca app

This app allows you to project any image from your device or camera onto a surface for drawing or tracing. It offers customization options for fonts and colors, and can even capture web pages. Tutorials are available to help users get the most out of its features.

Highlights
  • Image projection for drawing
  • Camera lucida functionality
  • Customizable fonts (1550+)
  • Web page capture
  • 3D effect option
  • Multicultural language support
Features
Read full description

CalcaApp: Your Customizable Tool for Transferring Images to Paper Welcome to the latest CalcaApp update! Overview: CalcaApp is an innovative, customizable tool that allows you to transfer any image from your device or captured with your camera to paper, acting as a camera lucida or projector. With a wide selection of features and tools, CalcaApp is designed to inspire you and facilitate your artistic creations. You can draw on a table on a paper yes, but you can also make a small mural on the wall if you hold your phone upright and looking through it at the image you have chosen on the wall. 3D effect: You can use a basic stand to support the device with a 45 degree tilt or those you choose, and you can make a 3D effect on the drawing. examples with videos and images at CalcaApp.com. Free for Everyone: I'm excited to announce that CalcaApp is now completely free for all its users - enjoy all the features at no cost! Earn Points, Remove Ads: Coming soon, you'll have options that will require more than ten points. With an active subscription, you'll have access to everything unlocked at the same special price. Annual Subscription: If you've noticed that CalcaApp is continually developing and implementing new features, you'll now have access to everything unlocked at the same price. Multicultural Languages: We've added new languages, including Italian, plus Russian, French, Indonesian, German, Arabic, English, Spanish and Portuguese, so you can enjoy CalcaApp in your preferred language. Customize with 1550+ Fonts: Choose from a wide selection of over 1550 fonts to give a unique touch to your texts and designs. In addition, CalcaApp is customizable in various colors for easy inspiration when using the app. Improved Web Capture: Now, capturing web pages is easier than ever. Turn your favorite websites into images with just one tap. Learn with Our Tutorials: Explore our tutorials on CalcaApp.Com to get the most out of all the features and tools available. Follow me on the Networks: Ask us for new features from our social networks and get to know them on ApliArte.Com. Recommended supports: Use supports recommended by CalcaApp or, failing that, something suitable, such as a glass, a jar or a box, to hold the device horizontally or vertically depending on where you want to make the drawing, but it is important that the device is fixed. Tips and Recommendations: Consider using a stand recommended by CalcaApp for a better experience. Consider choosing a color of your liking for a better user experience. Consider using relaxing music and make sure you have enough lighting to enjoy the experience. Remember that CalcaApp is not magic and requires practice. You can find demonstration videos on our website for best results. IMPORTANT: -You must give permission to the camera of your device, to be able to see through it, the image chosen or captured in the area where you are about to draw. -This app is not magic (It needs practice, there are demonstration videos to see results). -Your device MUST FOCUS ON THE DRAWING AREA, whether it is paper, wall, floor, etc... FOR ITS CORRECT FUNCTIONING. -You can search with the app from the web for any drawing to color and thus start practicing. -You can remove advertising with a point system and at no cost. -It does not project the image (For this you need a projector). -To avoid autofocus you have to prevent the hand from passing under the camera (It is explained with images in CalcaApp.com). -You do not need to register in the app. -This app is under continuous development, we appreciate and value your comments and suggestions at erbolamm.com or apliarte.com. Is there anything else I can help you with?

About

AR Sketch Art

Transform your device into a tracing tool to learn drawing. Overlay any image onto your paper through the camera and trace it line by line. Step-by-step lessons guide you from beginner sketches to finished artwork.

Highlights
  • Camera tracing
  • Step-by-step drawing lessons
  • Image adjustment (resize, rotate, opacity)
  • Multiple drawing styles
  • Themed ready-to-trace drawings
  • Collaborative drawing
  • Drawing recording (photo, video, time-lapse)
Features
Read full description

AR Sketch Art turns your iPhone or iPad into a tracing tool. Pick any image, look through the camera and trace it line by line onto real paper. When you want to learn instead of copy, step-by-step lessons guide you from the first line to the finished drawing. Made for anyone who wants to draw New to drawing? Tracing helps you get the shapes and proportions right from the start, so you finish drawings you are proud of. Hobby artists can copy references, make drawings for friends and try new styles. Experienced artists can use it as a quick warm-up or to transfer a sketch onto a new sheet. Key Features: - Choose how you draw: Camera to Draw, Canvas to Draw or Advance AR - Resize, move and rotate the image, then lock it so it stays in place while you draw - Adjust opacity, zoom from 0.5x to 3x, turn on the flash or switch to the outline-only Edge view - Turn your photos into Sketch, Deep Sketch, Anime or Comics styles before you trace them - Learn with step-by-step lessons that build each drawing a few lines at a time - Explore ready-to-trace drawings in themed categories, from cute animals to love and holidays - Draw with a friend: create a room, share the code and each draw half of the same picture - Record a photo, video or time-lapse of your drawing and save it to your Photos How to Get Started: 1. Choose a drawing from the library, or pick a photo from your gallery, Files or camera. 2. Adjust the image: change its opacity, switch to the outline-only Edge view or apply a sketch style. 3. Place your phone on a stable support, about 1 foot (30 cm) above the paper. 4. Look at the screen: the image appears semi-transparent over the camera view of your paper. 5. Follow the lines on the screen with your pencil on the paper. Subscription Details: AR Sketch Art Premium gives you unlimited drawing modes, all drawings and lessons, Photo to Sketch styles and drawing with friends. - Plans: Weekly Premium (1 week) and Yearly Premium (1 year), both with a 7-day free trial - Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase - The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period - You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Calca app4 screens
AR Sketch Art4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AR Sketch Art at 4.6 against Calca app's 4.0. AR Sketch Art also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 48%) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 92). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Calca app sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and AR Sketch Art sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AR Sketch Art holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AR Sketch Art has 1.3K ratings behind it against 92, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Calca app's written reviews are positive against 76% of AR Sketch Art's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Calca app ships an update fortnightly, AR Sketch Art every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Calca app versus AR Sketch Art: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalca appAR Sketch Art
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (92 ratings)4.6 (1.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews48.0% of reviews76.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings921.3K — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB133 MB
Age rating17+9+
DeveloperFrancisco Mateo MarquezAnnalisa Bergonzi

Customer experience

Calca app

All ratings88 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral4.5%
Negative21.6%
Written reviews50 reviews
Positive48.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative44.0%

AR Sketch Art

All ratings1,290 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral4.1%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews285 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral3.9%
Negative19.6%

Bugs and requests

Calca app

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

AR Sketch Art

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Pencil placement issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Ads blocking drawing area

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to upload own images
  • Zoom and pan functionality
  • Less intrusive ads
  • More free drawing tools

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Calca app

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Advanced Founder Plan2 Months trial$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Basic Founder Plan1 Year trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Permanent License$149.99
9 purchases

AR Sketch Art

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly premium7 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • AR Drawing Premium$5.997 Days
  • AR Draw Weekly Plan7 Days trial$5.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • AR Drawing Premium3 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Yearly premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • AR Draw Yearly Plan3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • 50 coins$1.99
  • 150 coins$4.99
  • 350coins$9.99

Questions

Is Calca app free?
Calca app is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AR Sketch Art free?
AR Sketch Art is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Calca app or AR Sketch Art?
AR Sketch Art is rated higher. Calca app averages 4.0 out of 5 from 92 ratings, while AR Sketch Art averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.
Do Calca app or AR Sketch Art have ads?
Both Calca app and AR Sketch Art show ads.
Which is updated more often, Calca app or AR Sketch Art?
Calca app ships an update fortnightly, and AR Sketch Art every 3 weeks. Most recently, Calca app was updated on November 7, 2026 and AR Sketch Art on November 7, 2026.

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