# ArtRage vs LightBox Expo

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ArtRage at 57% against LightBox Expo's 0%. ArtRage also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (171 vs 18). LightBox Expo's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and rating (4.2 vs 3.5). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

LightBox Expo is free to download; ArtRage costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

LightBox Expo holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArtRage has 171 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of ArtRage's written reviews are positive against 0% of LightBox Expo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ArtRage ships an update monthly, LightBox Expo every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ArtRage | LightBox Expo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.5 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artrage/id391432693/reviews) | **[4.2 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbox-expo/id6453941003/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **171** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **57.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 62 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ambient Design Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/391432696) | [LightBox Expo LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699609432) |

## 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


### LightBox Expo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbox-expo/id6453941003)

This app connects artists in the entertainment industry, offering a mobile guide to events, exhibitors, and programming. Plan your weekend, navigate the venue with maps, and discover your favorite creators. It aims to inspire and elevate artistic careers.

**Highlights:** Exhibitor and Artist Alley list, Schedule planning for panels and demos, Favorite programming and events, Venue navigation with maps, Event discovery and planning tool

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ArtRage free?

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

### Is LightBox Expo free?

LightBox Expo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ArtRage or LightBox Expo?

LightBox Expo is rated higher. ArtRage averages 3.5 out of 5 from 171 ratings, while LightBox Expo averages 4.2 from 18 ratings.

### Do ArtRage or LightBox Expo have ads?

Neither ArtRage nor LightBox Expo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ArtRage or LightBox Expo?

ArtRage ships an update monthly, and LightBox Expo every 12 months. Most recently, ArtRage was updated on October 19, 2026 and LightBox Expo on October 18, 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.*