Comparison

Simple Trace Pro vs Rotation

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

Head to head
About

Simple Trace Pro

Practice drawing and illustration by tracing photos and images. Load pictures from your camera roll and use Apple Pencil to refine your line work. Save your traced creations as JPGs or transparent PNGs.

Highlights
  • Trace photos and pictures
  • Practice illustration and painting
  • Load images from camera roll
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Adjustable transmittance
  • Zoom functionality
  • Save as JPG or transparent PNG
Features
Read full description

Simple Trace makes it easy to trace photos and pictures by hand. The concept is to be able to practice painting. Once you've loaded the image from your camera roll, it's easy to get started with Apple Pencil. By tracing the original picture, you can practice basic drawing such as how to draw lines in the illustration. Feature - Change of transmittance - Zoom in and out of the drawing area - Images can be saved as jpg, Pro version can be saved as transparent png - No ads in Pro version

About

Rotation

Features
Read full description

Rotation is a visual art application based on the phenakistoscope principle, allowing you to easily create fascinating dynamic visual effects. By placing images on a rotating disc and utilizing the persistence of vision phenomenon, it produces magical visual experiences. 【Main Features】 • 77 Pre-installed Images: The app includes various specially selected phenakistoscope and persistence of vision effect images, ready to use • Custom Images: Import your own images from photo library to create personalized visual effects • Flexible Parameter Adjustment: Control frame rate, rotation angle, rotation direction, image size, and position • Rich Preset Styles: Offers five preset styles including modern, classic, dynamic, natural, and abstract • Multi-language Support: Compatible with 33 languages, including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more 【Parameter Details】 • Frame Rate: Controls the number of frames displayed per second, ranging from 1-60 fps • Rotation Angle: Adjusts the rotation angle of each frame, ranging from 1°-180° • Rotation Direction: Choose between clockwise or counterclockwise rotation • Image Size: Controls the display ratio of images on the disc, ranging from 100%-300% • Alignment: Sets the position of images on the disc, supporting both horizontal and vertical alignment 【Persistence of Vision】 Persistence of vision is a physiological characteristic of the human eye. When we see an image, the impression formed on the retina doesn't disappear immediately but persists for a short period (about 0.1-0.4 seconds). This phenomenon allows us to perceive rapidly presented static images as continuous smooth motion. 【Phenakistoscope Principle】 The phenakistoscope is an optical toy invented in the 19th century that creates visual illusions through rotation, reflection, and optical principles. Combined with the persistence of vision effect, when the disc rotates rapidly, it creates a superimposed effect on the retina, producing stunning symmetrical and fractal patterns. 【Application Scenarios】 • Visual Art Creation: Designers can create unique visual effects • Educational Demonstrations: Teachers can explain the principle of persistence of vision • Mental Relaxation: Watching the rotation effects can help relax the mind • Entertainment: Add fun to family gatherings or friend meetups 【Usage Tips】 • For phenakistoscope effect images, it's recommended to set the rotation angle to 360° divided by the number of evenly divided portions in the image • Adjusting the image size to 200%-300% can achieve a more concentrated visual effect • Try different rotation directions to produce different visual experiences Whether you're a visual art enthusiast, designer, or just someone who enjoys interesting visual experiences, Rotation can bring you a unique visual treat. Download the app and start your phenakistoscope visual journey!

Screenshots

Rotation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Rotation at every 3 days against Simple Trace Pro's every 2 weeks. Simple Trace Pro's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (14.5 vs 17). On ads, 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

Simple Trace Pro costs $0.99 and Rotation $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Trace Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, Rotation every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Simple Trace Pro versus Rotation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple Trace ProRotation
Price$0.99 — better$3.99
Rating3.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS14.5 — better17
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKazuaki Matsuda思明 陈

In-app purchases

None

Simple Trace Pro

No in-app purchases

None

Rotation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simple Trace Pro free?
Simple Trace Pro costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rotation free?
Rotation costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Simple Trace Pro or Rotation have ads?
Neither Simple Trace Pro nor Rotation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Trace Pro or Rotation?
Simple Trace Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, and Rotation every 3 days. Most recently, Simple Trace Pro was updated on September 9, 2026 and Rotation on September 21, 2026.

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