# Photo Effects Studio vs ToonPAINT

The clearest difference is rating: ToonPAINT at 5.0 against Photo Effects Studio's 2.5. ToonPAINT also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 33%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photo Effects Studio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ToonPAINT sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ToonPAINT holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Photo Effects Studio's written reviews are positive against 71% of ToonPAINT's.

Photo Effects Studio ships an update every 3 months, ToonPAINT every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Effects Studio | ToonPAINT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-effects-studio/id307414806/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toonpaint/id349890672/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **71.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 7 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alteru Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/434747758) | [Insatiable Genius LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/464906090) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Effects Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-effects-studio/id307414806)

Enhance your photos with a wide array of special color effects, filters, and editing tools. You can also grab images from the web to apply creative enhancements. Have fun transforming your pictures with unique visual styles.

**Highlights:** Color balance and hue/saturation tools, Numerous photo filters, Drawing toolbox, Add frames and text, Grab images from the web, Special effects like color splash and illusion

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photo Effects Studio Ads Free | $0.99 | one-time |


### ToonPAINT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toonpaint/id349890672)

Easily transform your photos into unique cartoon-paintings. This app provides an "automagic" sketch from your image, which you can then color in like a paint-by-numbers experience. Express your creativity without needing any prior drawing skills.

**Highlights:** Import photos from device or camera, Automated sketch generation (MagiSketch), Color-in sketches with finger painting, Optional ToonColor feature for automated coloring, Automatic session saving, Undo/Redo functionality, Pinch-zoom and pan for precise painting

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ToonPAINT | $0.99 | per month |
| ToonPAINT Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent toon effect
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Flexible customization
- 💯 Impressive results
- 🎨 Fun and creative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 In-app purchases required for full functionality
- 🎨 Coloring can be tedious
- 🔍 Limited zoom and brush control
- 🔁 Lack of undo/redo options

**Reported bugs**

- Saved images sometimes corrupted
- Issues with uploading to social media
- Compatibility problems on iPad

**Requested features**

- Ability to save work in progress
- Auto-coloring feature
- More brush options and size control
- Improved zoom functionality
- Undo/redo history


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo Effects Studio free?

Photo Effects Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ToonPAINT free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Photo Effects Studio or ToonPAINT?

ToonPAINT is rated higher. Photo Effects Studio averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ToonPAINT averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Photo Effects Studio or ToonPAINT have ads?

Neither Photo Effects Studio nor ToonPAINT shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photo Effects Studio or ToonPAINT?

Photo Effects Studio ships an update every 3 months, and ToonPAINT every 3 weeks. Most recently, Photo Effects Studio was updated on October 31, 2026 and ToonPAINT on November 1, 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.*