Comparison

Translucent vs ArtSync

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

Head to head
About

Translucent

This app transforms your device into a digital light box, offering a premium library of over 220 professional tracing images. It provides advanced camera overlay and drawing tools to help artists of all levels improve their skills and create detailed artwork.

Highlights
  • Premium image library with 222+ curated tracing images
  • Adjustable opacity camera overlay
  • Pinch-to-zoom with 20x capability
  • Grid overlay and filter modes
  • Import own images and reference photos
  • Lifetime access to new images
Features
Read full description

TRACE ANYTHING ONTO REAL PAPER. YOUR PHONE IS THE LIGHT BOX. Hold your phone over a sheet of paper and the drawing appears on the page through the screen. Trace what you see. No printer, no carbon paper, no taping a page to a sunny window. YOUR OWN PHOTOS ARE FREE. FOREVER. Import any picture from your camera roll, set the opacity, trace it. The light box, zoom, rotate and your own photos are not behind a paywall and never will be. That is the whole point of the app. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick a drawing from the library, or import a photo of your own. 2. Hold your phone over your paper, or pin the drawing to the page with AR. 3. Trace the lines you see through the screen. 400 DRAWINGS, 104 OF THEM FREE Animals, Anime, Architecture, Cartoon, Fantasy, Food, Nature, Objects, People, Tattoo and Vehicles, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Real line art drawn for tracing, not photos run through a filter. 348 STEP-BY-STEP LESSONS Every lesson is built out of the drawing itself: big shapes first, then structure, then detail. You watch a face or a dragon assemble one stage at a time instead of copying a finished picture and hoping. AR ANCHORING Pin the drawing to your paper and it stays there. Move your phone, tilt it, set it down and pick it up, and the drawing is still exactly where you left it. No more propping your phone against a coffee cup. EVERY TOOL - Opacity, zoom, rotate, pan - Canvas lock, so your palm cannot knock the drawing out of line - Hands-free mode - Grid overlay, flip and mirror - Contrast, brightness and color filters for difficult light - Torch for tracing in the dark - Line art: turn a photo of your own into clean traceable outlines - Layer breakdown: a drawing split into its build-up stages - Strobe: the reference blinks off so you can see your own lines - Practice timer and daily streaks - Time-lapse: record a session and share it - Kid Mode: the whole library, none of the clutter - Works offline. No account, no sign-up. PERFECT FOR Artists learning proportion and perspective. Anime and manga. Tattoo artists transferring flash. Embroidery, quilting and cross-stitch patterns. Calligraphy and hand lettering. Woodworking and pyrography templates. Classroom and homeschool. Kids learning to draw. Anyone who was ever told they cannot draw. Tracing is not cheating. Artists have traced for centuries to study proportion and build the hand-eye coordination freehand drawing needs, which is why the lessons here take a drawing apart instead of just showing you the answer. FREE - The light box: opacity, zoom, rotate, pan, grid, filters, torch - Your own photos, unlimited - 104 drawings - 3 saved projects, 3 guided lessons, 3 strobe sessions - Canvas lock, hands-free, AR anchoring, practice timer - Supported by ads PREMIUM - All 400 drawings and all 348 lessons - Unlimited saved projects - Unlimited line art, layer breakdown and strobe - Time-lapse export with no watermark - No ads Already bought the Premium Library? You keep it, and you will never be asked to pay again. PREMIUM PLANS Premium Weekly - $6.99 per week Premium Yearly - $39.99 per year, after a 3-day free trial Premium Lifetime - $69.99, one payment, does not renew Prices are shown in your own currency before you confirm. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is switched off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of that period. Manage your subscription or switch off auto-renew in your device Settings after purchase. Any unused part of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://aylan-apps.com/privacy/translucent-tracing/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://aylan-apps.com/privacy/translucent-tracing/privacy-policy

About

ArtSync

This app allows users to trace any image onto any surface using augmented reality. It offers features like multiple layers, precision control, and recording to enhance the creative process for artists and hobbyists.

Highlights
  • Trace and draw any image
  • Multiple layers and sublayers
  • High-quality recording with time-lapse
  • Undo/Redo functionality
  • Precision image control
  • Light table feature
  • Project management
Read full description

Turn any photo into a guide you can trace on paper, canvas, or a wall. ArtSync brings your reference image and real drawing surface together. Import an image, choose the setup that fits your project, align it precisely, and create at your own pace—whether you are practicing a sketch, painting on canvas, preparing a stencil, lettering a sign, or planning a mural. FIVE WAYS TO TRACE • AR Style Lock your reference to a real drawing surface and keep it aligned as you move your device. • Normal Style Follow your reference over the live camera view for a fast, familiar tracing setup. • Quick Anchor Pin your artwork to a surface with minimal setup and start tracing sooner. • Light Table Place paper over your device’s screen and trace the illuminated reference beneath it. • Remote Canvas Pair two devices for larger canvases and walls or just for ease of viewing experience. Use one as a fixed camera host and the other to view the live feed, position your reference, and control your tools while you work. TOOLS THAT KEEP YOU IN FLOW • Import and trace your own photos and artwork • Build compositions with multiple layers and sublayers • Move, scale, rotate, and fine-tune references with precision • Adjust opacity and align artwork using an interactive grid • Use Strobe Comparison to alternate your reference on and off, making it easy to compare your progress without stopping • Undo and redo changes without interrupting your process • Record high-quality video at 30 or 60 FPS, or capture your process as a timelapse • Adjust recording quality, speed, and timelapse settings to fit your workflow • Save, organize, favorite, and reopen your projects • Follow clear onboarding and tutorials whenever you need guidance MADE FOR YOUR NEXT IDEA Use ArtSync to learn and practice drawing, improve proportions, trace portraits, paint on canvas, create murals, prepare stencils, or transfer lettering and logos. Capture the process as a satisfying high-quality video or timelapse, then save it or share it on social media. Choose your reference. Find your setup. Start creating. Begin creating with ArtSync for free. When you’re ready to go further, ArtSync Pro unlocks advanced tracing modes and the complete creative toolkit.

Screenshots

Translucent4 screens
ArtSync4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Translucent at 3.6 against ArtSync's 2.0. Translucent also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). ArtSync's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 20%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Translucent sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ArtSync sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Translucent holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Translucent has 25 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of Translucent's written reviews are positive against 57% of ArtSync's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Translucent ships an update every 3 weeks, ArtSync every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Translucent versus ArtSync: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTranslucentArtSync
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (25 ratings) — better2.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews57.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB182 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developermounir tajaouartRadun Cicen

Customer experience

Translucent

All ratings20 ratings
Positive55.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

ArtSync

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral28.6%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Translucent

One-time1
  • Premium Library$2.99
6 purchases

ArtSync

Subscriptions6
  • Monthly Pro Access$3.991 Month
  • Monthly Pro Access7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • ArtSync Pro Weekly$9.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • Pro access yearly$14.991 Year
  • Pro Access Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • ArtSync Pro Yearly3 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Translucent free?
Translucent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ArtSync free?
ArtSync is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Translucent or ArtSync?
Translucent is rated higher. Translucent averages 3.6 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while ArtSync averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Translucent or ArtSync have ads?
Translucent shows ads; ArtSync does not.
Which is updated more often, Translucent or ArtSync?
Translucent ships an update every 3 weeks, and ArtSync every 2 months. Most recently, Translucent was updated on October 27, 2026 and ArtSync on October 24, 2026.

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