Comparison

Doodle Dandy vs Makanim Light

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

Head to head
About

Doodle Dandy

Unleash your creativity with this intuitive drawing app that makes creating beautiful artwork accessible to everyone. Enjoy a game-like experience with satisfying results you can share or use as custom wallpaper. No artistic talent is required to produce stunning, original creations.

Highlights
  • Rotationally-symmetric input for balanced designs
  • Real-time transparency tool
  • Multiple brush sizes
  • Unlimited undo/redo
  • Save and share creations
  • Customizable wallpaper
Features
Read full description

Doodle Dandy is addictive like a game -- but creative, personal, and productive. Games are fun -- but when it's all over, what do you have to show for all your time and effort? A score? Who cares? Art is fun -- but creating something truly beautiful on a touchscreen isn't easy. UNTIL NOW. Doodle Dandy gives you the power to create elegant, eye-catching artwork, at your fingertips -- no talent required. It's challenging and engaging like a game, but when you're done, you have an original work of art to share and enjoy. No more lame doodles! Fun for all ages! Doodle Dandy provides a handful of simple tools which ensure success in every doodle: - Rotationally-symmetric input ensures balance and elegance - Color palette designed for range and consistency - Multiple discrete brush sizes - Transparency tool works in real-time, anytime - Unlimited "undo" and "redo" - Save creations for later viewing, to use as custom wallpaper, or for sharing with friends - Works on Mac Learn in seconds, master over time. Amaze yourself as you create visual poetry in motion. Amaze others with stunning, original gifts. Find satisfaction and joy in the process of creation, with Doodle Dandy.

About

Makanim Light

Create stunning, interactive animations with multi-touch gestures. Explore endless visual effects, shapes, and patterns for relaxation or live performance. Save your creations as wallpapers.

Highlights
  • Multi-touch graphic generator
  • Real-time preset editing
  • Up to 3-finger gestures
  • Multiple animation modes and shapes
  • Adjustable speed, size, and chaos
  • Save creations as screenshots/wallpapers
Features
Read full description

AppAdvice.com review: "This generative art app will provide you with pure visual stimulation." AppSplit.com review: "With its level of customization, it's definitely still worthy to try it." Want to relax or have fun? Enjoy an amazing graphic experience with Makanim. Create stunning animations by playing with multi-touch. Snap your creations and use them as wallpapers. Play with Makanim at home for fun, at a party, or on stage for VJing: improvise during live performances and create new animations on the fly. Makanim offers endless combinations of visual effects by changing nine simple parameters. You can spend hours discovering the different ways to animate shapes. Makanim is a powerful app that can both entertain and relax. FEATURES - Multi-touch particle generator - Up to 10 fingers at once, depending on your device - 10 animation modes - 48 beautiful and original shapes - 22 color palettes - 112 editable presets, saved as you play - Thousands of possible combinations - Edit presets in real time - Switch between modes, shapes and colors - Control speed, size and chaos - Background color and particle opacity controls - Random button for surprise combinations - Interactive sounds - Animation auto-play - Screenshot button to save images to your photo library - Expert mode: hide or show the menu bar - Fingers limit, to avoid clashing with your device's multi-touch gestures LINKS Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flR6mz788h0 Visit http://appakabar.com for more information. Makanim Light is the free version of Makanim: it includes 12 of the 112 presets, 4 of the 10 modes and 7 of the 48 shapes, with up to 3 fingers at once. Unlock everything with a single in-app purchase. No subscription.

Screenshots

Doodle Dandy4 screens
Makanim Light4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Doodle Dandy at 4.6 against Makanim Light's 3.8. Doodle Dandy also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 60%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 13 months). Makanim Light's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). 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. Doodle Dandy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Makanim Light sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Doodle Dandy holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Doodle Dandy has 69 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Doodle Dandy's written reviews are positive against 60% of Makanim Light's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Doodle Dandy ships an update fortnightly, Makanim Light every 13 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Doodle Dandy versus Makanim Light: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDoodle DandyMakanim Light
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (69 ratings) — better3.8 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews92.8% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings69 — better5
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 13 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas WilliamsAppakabar

Customer experience

Doodle Dandy

All ratings69 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews83 reviews
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.8%

Makanim Light

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

Doodle Dandy

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Save to photos not working
  • App crashes
  • App will not open
  • Save feature not working
  • Delete masterpiece when trying to save
Show 5 more
  • Crashing after a few minutes
  • Save to photos not working anymore
  • Creations not found after saving
  • Won't clear drawings
  • Randomly doesn't color

Requested features

19 requests
  • Ability to draw over existing pictures
  • More color options
  • Color picker
  • Redo button
  • Load image to resume a project
Show 14 more
  • Blend feature
  • Tool for straight lines
  • Option for every other line mirror
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Change background color
  • More paintbrush shapes
  • Blur tool
  • More effects
  • Dark mode
  • Undo to recover cleared work
  • Safety dialog for clearing
  • Retina update
  • Different shapes
  • Custom paint colors

Makanim Light

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Doodle Dandy

One-time1
  • Doodle Dandy - No Ads$0.99
1 purchases

Makanim Light

One-time1
  • Unlock everything$4.99

Questions

Is Doodle Dandy free?
Doodle Dandy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Makanim Light free?
Makanim Light is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Doodle Dandy or Makanim Light?
Doodle Dandy is rated higher. Doodle Dandy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while Makanim Light averages 3.8 from 5 ratings.
Do Doodle Dandy or Makanim Light have ads?
Doodle Dandy shows ads; Makanim Light does not.
Which is updated more often, Doodle Dandy or Makanim Light?
Doodle Dandy ships an update fortnightly, and Makanim Light every 13 months. Most recently, Doodle Dandy was updated on November 1, 2026 and Makanim Light on November 1, 2026.

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