Comparison

Translucent vs Trace Camera

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

Trace Camera

This app uses augmented reality to project images onto surfaces, allowing users to trace and sketch with real-time guidance. It offers a library of illustrations and the ability to import personal photos for practice.

Highlights
  • Augmented Reality Tracing
  • Built-in Illustrations Library
  • Import Custom Images
  • Adjustable Canvas and Opacity
  • Real-time Sketching Guidance
Features
Read full description

Trace Camera: Draw Anything with AR Trace Camera makes drawing simple, fun, and accessible to anyone, no matter your skill level. Using augmented reality, Trace Camera turns your phone into a drawing assistant. Just select an image, point your camera at a surface, and start sketching with real-time guidance. Whether you’re learning to draw or refining your skills, Trace Camera helps you practice with precision. Key Features: • Augmented Reality Tracing – Project any image onto paper through your camera and trace with ease. • Hundreds of Built-in Illustrations – Choose from a growing library of curated designs to practice sketching. • Import Your Own Images – Upload personal photos or art references to turn anything into a traceable outline. • Flexible & Easy to Use – Set your canvas size, adjust opacity, and start drawing in seconds. Trace Camera is perfect for hobbyists, students, and anyone looking to improve their art through hands-on practice. No technical setup, no fancy tools—just your phone and your creativity. Terms & Conditions: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Translucent4 screens
Trace Camera3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Trace Camera at 95% against Translucent's 20%. Trace Camera also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.3) and ads (none vs shown). Translucent's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Translucent sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Trace Camera sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Trace Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Trace Camera has 210 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Translucent's written reviews are positive against 95% of Trace Camera's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Translucent ships an update every 3 weeks, Trace Camera every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Translucent versus Trace Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTranslucentTrace Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (20 ratings)4.8 (210 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB97 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developermounir tajaouartHbrothers L.L.C.

Customer experience

Translucent

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

Trace Camera

All ratings210 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.9%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral5.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Translucent

One-time1
  • Premium Library$2.99
2 purchases

Trace Camera

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly subscription$3.997 Days
  • Yearly subscription$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Translucent free?
Translucent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Trace Camera free?
Trace Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Translucent or Trace Camera?
Trace Camera is rated higher. Translucent averages 3.3 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Trace Camera averages 4.8 from 210 ratings.
Do Translucent or Trace Camera have ads?
Translucent shows ads; Trace Camera does not.
Which is updated more often, Translucent or Trace Camera?
Translucent ships an update every 3 weeks, and Trace Camera every 2 months. Most recently, Translucent was updated on October 19, 2026 and Trace Camera on October 17, 2026.

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