# iPastels vs Doodle Magic

The clearest difference is ads: iPastels at none against Doodle Magic's shown. Doodle Magic's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 2.1K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iPastels sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Doodle Magic sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for iPastels against 4.7 for Doodle Magic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Doodle Magic has 12K ratings behind it against 2.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 81% and 81% positive.

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, Doodle Magic monthly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPastels | Doodle Magic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipastels/id489302558/reviews) | [4.7 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-magic-draw-paint/id1195301052/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.1K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | **81.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Norbyte](https://appshunter.io/developer/331310753) | [炳甲 梁](https://appshunter.io/developer/1157827144) |

## What reviewers say

### iPastels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipastels/id489302558)

This app offers a realistic digital painting experience with lifelike pastel simulation and interactive textures. It allows for precise color blending and adjustable stroke sizes, catering to both beginners and experienced artists. Explore your creativity without the cost of traditional art supplies.

**Highlights:** Lifelike pastel simulation, Realistic paper/canvas textures, Precise color blending, Fingertip stroke size adjustment, Left-handed toolbar option, Live parameter changes, Multiple layers

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Jar: Smallest Tip | $1.00 | one-time |
| Tip Jar: Small Tip | $2.00 | one-time |
| Tip Jar: Medium Tip | $5.00 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade | $7.00 | one-time |
| Tip Jar: Big Tip | $10.00 | one-time |
| Tip Jar: Biggest Tip | $25.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Realistic pastel simulation
- 💡 Useful for beginners and professionals
- 🌈 Wide range of colors and shades
- 🔍 Good blending and smudging tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🔒 Limited free features, need to pay for more
- 🔍 Lack of zoom or detailed control
- 🎨 Difficulty finding/reusing specific colors
- 🔀 Confusing layer management

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when importing images
- Layers sometimes disappear or get lost
- Undo button deletes entire drawing sections

**Requested features**

- Add color picker tool
- Improve layer management and visibility
- Implement pressure-sensitive brush support
- Provide more paper/canvas texture options
- Allow saving and recalling custom palettes


### Doodle Magic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-magic-draw-paint/id1195301052)

Unleash your creativity with a magical doodle game. Replay your drawings as animated cartoons and explore a variety of colorful brushes and patterns. This app offers a simple yet imaginative way to create unique artwork and relive your artistic process.

**Highlights:** Cartoon playback of doodle process, Magical paintbrushes (rainbow, neon, pearl), Random color variations, 10+ doodle patterns, My Gallery for saved drawings, Mandala and kaleidoscope creation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Advertisement | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Relaxing and creative drawing experience
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🌈 Vibrant and colorful designs
- 💡 Unique and satisfying drawing patterns
- 🤩 Helps users feel like an artist

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Excessive advertisements
- 🎨 Limited color options
- 🔍 Difficult to save or share drawings
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing issues

**Reported bugs**

- Controls stop working after purchasing ad-free version
- Drawings disappear or cannot be accessed after exiting the app

**Requested features**

- Allow users to choose their own colors
- Expand drawing tools and brush options
- Improve saving and sharing functionality
- Reduce the frequency of advertisements


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPastels free?

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

### Is Doodle Magic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iPastels or Doodle Magic?

iPastels and Doodle Magic are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.1K and 12K ratings respectively.

### Do iPastels or Doodle Magic have ads?

Doodle Magic shows ads; iPastels does not.

### Which is updated more often, iPastels or Doodle Magic?

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, and Doodle Magic monthly. Most recently, iPastels was updated on October 19, 2026 and Doodle Magic on October 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*