# Stop Motion Studio vs Swirly

The clearest difference is rating: Stop Motion Studio at 4.6 against Swirly's 2.3. Stop Motion Studio also leads on ratings volume (82K vs 26) and review sentiment (78% vs 53%). Swirly's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stop Motion Studio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Swirly sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stop Motion Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stop Motion Studio has 82K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Stop Motion Studio's written reviews are positive against 53% of Swirly's.

Stop Motion Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, Swirly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stop Motion Studio | Swirly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (82K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stop-motion-studio/id441651297/reviews)** | [2.3 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swirly-symmetrical-drawing/id943328024/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **82K** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | **78.1% of reviews** | 53.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#204** | — |
| Size | 179 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CATEATER, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/388444973) | [Throwr Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/661116751) |

## What reviewers say

### Stop Motion Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stop-motion-studio/id441651297)

**Currently charting:** #204 Top Free · Photo & Video (US App Store)

Easily create stop motion animations and films with powerful editing tools. Capture every frame with manual camera controls, add sound and effects, and share your creations in high definition. Suitable for beginners and experienced animators alike.

**Highlights:** Onion skinning and animation guides, Frame-by-frame editing, Manual camera controls, Voiceover and sound effects, Green screen effects, 4K export, Remote camera control

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Features Forever | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for stop motion
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Allows for creative expression
- 👍 Good for beginners
- 👍 Helpful tutorials

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🔍 Limited free features
- 🔍 Restricted editing options without premium

**Reported bugs**

- Camera shaking/blurry issues
- Sound not working properly
- Frames skipping or lagging
- Inability to restore deleted projects
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- More free features and effects
- Improved erasing and editing tools
- Ability to import photos and videos
- More sound effects and audio options
- Easier way to add text and titles


### Swirly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swirly-symmetrical-drawing/id943328024)

Unleash your inner artist with a unique symmetrical drawing tool. Create vibrant artwork using a wide array of brushes, colors, and adjustable settings. Save, edit, and share your masterpieces with ease.

**Highlights:** Symmetrical drawing, Large color palette, Various brush types, Adjustable brush settings, Shape path brushes, Save, edit, and share creations, Adjustable grid divisions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Christmas 2015 | Free | one-time |
| 50 Shades Of | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pastel Perfect | $0.99 | one-time |
| All The Lovers | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Nebula | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brightlight | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sweet Like... | $0.99 | one-time |
| Flat Flame | $0.99 | one-time |
| Super Swirly | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stop Motion Studio free?

Stop Motion Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Swirly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stop Motion Studio or Swirly?

Stop Motion Studio is rated higher. Stop Motion Studio averages 4.6 out of 5 from 82K ratings, while Swirly averages 2.3 from 26 ratings.

### Do Stop Motion Studio or Swirly have ads?

Neither Stop Motion Studio nor Swirly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stop Motion Studio or Swirly?

Stop Motion Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, and Swirly every 2 months. Most recently, Stop Motion Studio was updated on November 1, 2026 and Swirly on October 29, 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.*