# Carat vs Grid Maker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Grid Maker at none against Carat's 17. Grid Maker also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 days) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Carat sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Grid Maker asks for nothing beyond the download.

Carat ships an update every 3 days, Grid Maker daily. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Carat | Grid Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (659 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carat-create-anything/id1600191019/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **659** | — |
| Positive reviews | 84.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 284 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Paradot Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1600191021) | [SuWon Choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452191072) |

## What reviewers say

### Carat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carat-create-anything/id1600191019)

This AI-powered app lets you create images and videos simply by chatting with your agent. It handles complex prompts and model selection, making advanced content generation accessible to everyone. Remix, edit, and share your creations with ease.

**Highlights:** AI image generation from text or sketches, AI video generation from images or text, Lip-sync and music video creation, Advanced editing and iteration, Access to multiple AI models, Remix and share content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Carat Starter | $19.99 | per month |
| Carat Premium | $40.00 | per month |
| 100 Point Lens | $0.99 | one-time |
| 150P | $0.99 | one-time |
| 200 Point Lens | $1.49 | one-time |
| 300P | $2.49 | one-time |
| 300 Point Lens | $2.99 | one-time |
| 440P + Bonus Points | $3.49 | one-time |
| 500P | $3.99 | one-time |
| 600P | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1400P | $12.99 | one-time |
| Usage Plus | $22.99 | one-time |
| 3700P | $29.99 | one-time |
| Usage Boost | $44.99 | one-time |
| 7900P | $59.99 | one-time |
| 11900P | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ High-quality AI photo generation
- 👍 User-friendly interface and navigation
- 🎨 Diverse and well-made AI templates
- 🤖 Multiple AI engines for better results
- ⚡ Fast and efficient processing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎨 Skin tone lightening in generated images
- ⏱️ Long processing times for image generation
- 💰 Point system limits messaging frequency
- 🔄 Recent UI changes confusing to users
- 🌍 Feature availability varies by region

**Reported bugs**

- Image generation fails after processing
- Filters no longer functional
- AI Character Chats unavailable outside Korea
- Non-English text in interface
- Pre-created AI options difficult to locate after recent changes

**Requested features**

- Direct save to iPhone photo library
- Reduced or eliminated point requirements for messaging
- Restore original pre-made AI photo options
- Restore filter functionality
- Restore AI Character Chat feature globally


### Grid Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-maker-collage-editing/id6443673275)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Carat free?

Carat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Grid Maker free?

Grid Maker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Carat or Grid Maker have ads?

Both Carat and Grid Maker show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Carat or Grid Maker?

Carat ships an update every 3 days, and Grid Maker daily. Most recently, Carat was updated on October 27, 2026 and Grid Maker on September 28, 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.*