# ArtRage vs Zen Brush 2

The clearest difference is monetization model: Zen Brush 2 at free against ArtRage's paid. Zen Brush 2 also leads on rating (3.9 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (67% vs 57%). ArtRage's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

ArtRage costs $2.99 and Zen Brush 2 $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Zen Brush 2 holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 171 and 129 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of ArtRage's written reviews are positive against 67% of Zen Brush 2's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ArtRage | Zen Brush 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | [3.5 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artrage/id391432693/reviews) | **[3.9 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-2/id1012274888/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **171** | 129 |
| Positive reviews | 57.3% of reviews | **67.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 62 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ambient Design Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/391432696) | [PSOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/373752450) |

## What reviewers say

### ArtRage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artrage/id391432693)

This app offers a realistic digital painting experience, simulating the behavior of real-world art supplies like oils, watercolors, and pencils. It allows for smearing, blending, and texture application, making it accessible for aspiring artists without the mess or expense of traditional materials.

**Highlights:** Realistic paint simulation (oils, watercolors, etc.), Smearing and blending capabilities, Layer support with blend modes, Import images as reference or tracing, Apple Pencil pressure and tilt support, Customizable interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic paint simulation
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 💡 Variety of tools and customization options
- 🎨 Blending and mixing of colors works well
- 🎨 Simulates traditional media like oil, watercolor, and pastels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Laggy performance, especially with larger brushes
- 🔍 Limited canvas size and resolution
- 🐛 Bugs with layer handling and saving progress
- 🔍 Missing some basic features like shapes and text

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and loss of unsaved work
- Bugs with color picker and blending tools
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between tools

**Requested features**

- Ability to resize and rotate canvas
- Improved palm rejection and touch controls
- Larger brush sizes and more customization options
- Support for higher resolution canvases and export
- Autosave and cloud sync functionality


### Zen Brush 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-2/id1012274888)

This app offers a drawing experience inspired by East Asian ink brush art. Its intuitive interface and new engine provide a fluid and expressive way to create unique artwork, with options to share and edit your creations.

**Highlights:** East Asian ink brush simulation, New expressive brush engine, Gallery for saving work, Red ink option, Ink dispersion effect, 92 background templates, Pressure sensitive stylus support

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic brush simulation and stroke quality
- 😌 Meditative and relaxing user experience
- ⚡ Quick and responsive performance
- 🎯 Simple, minimalist interface design
- ✍️ Excellent for calligraphy and character practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎨 Limited color options (primarily black and red)
- 📱 No iCloud sync or cloud backup support
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and freezes
- ⚠️ Confusing interface for new users
- 🗑️ Delete button placement causes accidental deletions

**Reported bugs**

- Background menu freezes
- App crashes during export/save operations
- Blank canvas loads despite recent saves
- Unable to export artworks (ALAssetsLibraryErrorDomain error)
- Brush stroke continues in straight line after stylus lift

**Requested features**

- Expanded color palette beyond black and red
- iCloud synchronization across devices
- Layer support for more complex artwork
- Import background photos for tracing and reference
- Custom guides and grid overlays


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ArtRage free?

ArtRage costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Zen Brush 2 free?

Zen Brush 2 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ArtRage or Zen Brush 2?

Zen Brush 2 is rated higher. ArtRage averages 3.5 out of 5 from 171 ratings, while Zen Brush 2 averages 3.9 from 129 ratings.

### Do ArtRage or Zen Brush 2 have ads?

Neither ArtRage nor Zen Brush 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ArtRage or Zen Brush 2?

ArtRage ships an update monthly, and Zen Brush 2 monthly. Most recently, ArtRage was updated on October 19, 2026 and Zen Brush 2 on October 19, 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.*