# Sketch Pad 3 vs Paintwork

The clearest difference is rating: Paintwork at 4.6 against Sketch Pad 3's 3.1. Paintwork also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (17K vs 34). Sketch Pad 3's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sketch Pad 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Paintwork sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Paintwork holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paintwork has 17K ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of Sketch Pad 3's written reviews are positive against 65% of Paintwork's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sketch Pad 3 ships an update every 11 days, Paintwork weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sketch Pad 3 | Paintwork |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketch-pad-3/id429388129/reviews) | **[4.6 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintwork-infinite-notebook/id1052957498/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 34 | **17K** |
| Positive reviews | **71.1% of reviews** | 65.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 200 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Catalystwo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651079501) | [伟典 苏](https://appshunter.io/developer/1024628394) |

## What reviewers say

### Sketch Pad 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketch-pad-3/id429388129)

This app provides an unlimited digital canvas for doodling, sketching, drawing, and note-taking. It offers various pen sizes, colors, editing tools like cut and paste, and export options to multiple platforms. Work is automatically saved for easy continuation.

**Highlights:** Unlimited canvas size, Doodle, sketch, and draw, Take notes and memos, Cut, paste, and drag strokes, Undo/redo functionality, Export to various platforms (PDF, cloud, email), Organize with document folders

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Paid Version | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Rename files
- 👍 Nimble and intuitive UI
- 👍 Brilliant
- 👍 Great and handy
- 👍 Love this App

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads cover toolbar to make it unusable
- 🐛 Dropbox sync not working
- 🐛 Revert!!!! (Pinch zoom broken)
- 🐛 Crashes
- 🐛 Lag

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings shift around the page and get tiny or huge
- Can't rename files anymore
- Pinch zoom broken after update

**Requested features**

- Add color fill button
- Reduce lag
- Add straight line and geometric shape tools
- Add layers
- Add text box feature


### Paintwork

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintwork-infinite-notebook/id1052957498)

Create handwritten notes, diaries, and drawings with a vast array of tools. Features include customizable brushes, vector graphics, a rich color palette, and image import. Export your creations as PDFs or images.

**Highlights:** Customizable brushes and erasers, Extensive vector graphics tools, Rich color palette, Image and material import, Handwriting assistance, PDF and image export, Customizable backgrounds and canvas

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription premium | $3.99 | per year |
| Unlock local version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Vast selection of brushes and tools
- 💻 Works well on various devices
- 🎨 Allows for creative expression
- 💰 Free to use with no paywall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Certain features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches causing crashes or data loss
- 🎨 Limited color palette and blending options
- 🔍 Lack of intuitive UI and tutorials

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing or crashing when using certain features
- Artwork getting deleted or not saving properly
- Inability to import or work with external images

**Requested features**

- Add more color options and blending tools
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Provide more tutorials and onboarding for new users
- Allow users to save and access their artwork easily


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sketch Pad 3 free?

Sketch Pad 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Paintwork free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sketch Pad 3 or Paintwork?

Paintwork is rated higher. Sketch Pad 3 averages 3.1 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while Paintwork averages 4.6 from 17K ratings.

### Do Sketch Pad 3 or Paintwork have ads?

Sketch Pad 3 shows ads; Paintwork does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sketch Pad 3 or Paintwork?

Sketch Pad 3 ships an update every 11 days, and Paintwork weekly. Most recently, Sketch Pad 3 was updated on October 22, 2026 and Paintwork on October 20, 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.*