Comparison

Calca app vs LightPad

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

LightPad

Read full description

Lay a source sheet and a blank sheet on the display: a bright, evenly lit surface shines through both, and you trace on real paper with confidence. Built for how tracing actually works: LIGHT YOU CAN TUNE - A light surface that never sleeps or dims on its own mid-trace - Color temperature from 2700 K (warm) to 6500 K (daylight), rendered from real black-body values — warm light keeps thin pencil lines readable - Brightness from a soft low glow up to your display’s true peak — on HDR displays the slider goes beyond regular screen white - Dimming happens in the light surface itself, never by pushing the panel low — no added flicker in the dark range TRUE-TO-SIZE GRIDS - Metric 1 cm grid, or imperial 1-inch grid with 1/4-inch subdivisions - Physically accurate on every supported iPhone and iPad — 1 cm on screen is 1 cm on paper - Center crosshair for squaring up your sheets - Pure black lines with adjustable line width, so grids stay visible through paper MADE FOR PAPER ON GLASS - Touch lock: one tap locks the screen so resting palms and paper press nothing; hold to unlock - Controls fade away and return with a tap — while you work, it is all light - Works in any orientation and window size PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No account, no ads, no tracking, no analytics - Requests zero permissions and never connects to the network - Works completely offline For illustrators inking and refining sketches, animators flipping between drawings, calligraphy and lettering practice, embroidery and quilting pattern transfer, and anyone who traces on real paper.

Screenshots

Calca app4 screens
LightPad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LightPad at none against Calca app's 4. LightPad also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. LightPad asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Calca app versus LightPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalca appLightPad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (91 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews48.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings91 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB8 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperFrancisco Mateo MarquezMingwei Cui

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Calca app

Subscriptions3
  • One-year subscription$2.991 Year
  • Monthly Advanced Founder Plan2 Months trial$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Basic Founder Plan1 Year trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Permanent License$149.99
None

LightPad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Calca app free?
Calca app is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LightPad free?
LightPad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Calca app or LightPad have ads?
Calca app shows ads; LightPad does not.
Which is updated more often, Calca app or LightPad?
Calca app ships an update fortnightly, and LightPad fortnightly. Most recently, Calca app was updated on October 27, 2026 and LightPad on October 15, 2026.

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