# iPastels vs Mandalas Drawing Studio

The clearest difference is device support: iPastels at 4 against Mandalas Drawing Studio's 2. iPastels also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iPastels sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Mandalas Drawing Studio 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 Mandalas Drawing Studio. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 3.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of iPastels's written reviews are positive against 84% of Mandalas Drawing Studio's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPastels | Mandalas Drawing Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipastels/id489302558/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandalas-drawing-studio/id1275783892/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K | **3.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | **84.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Norbyte](https://appshunter.io/developer/331310753) | [Marco Antônio Pompei](https://appshunter.io/developer/449480626) |

## 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


### Mandalas Drawing Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandalas-drawing-studio/id1275783892)

Create intricate mandala paintings with a simple virtual canvas. Enjoy a clean, modern interface designed to keep you focused on your creativity. Produce high-quality vector drawings with smooth zoom and sharp graphics, all without any advertisements.

**Highlights:** Create beautiful mandala paintings, Simple virtual canvas, High quality vector based drawings, Smooth zoom with sharp graphics, No ads for uninterrupted drawing

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features Package | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and entertaining
- 🧘‍♀️ Calming and relaxing
- 👍 Simple and intuitive
- 💯 Excellent for meditation
- 🎨 Allows creative expression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- ✏️ Needs better line smoothing
- 🎨 Limited color/tool options in free version
- 💾 Difficulty saving/exporting designs
- 🔍 Zooming in could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Saving issues resulting in lost progress
- Inconsistent performance after updates
- Difficulty accessing certain settings

**Requested features**

- Add a fill tool
- Improve undo/redo functionality
- Allow saving designs as vector files
- Provide more color customization options
- Enhance the zoom and panning capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPastels free?

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

### Is Mandalas Drawing Studio free?

Mandalas Drawing Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iPastels or Mandalas Drawing Studio?

Mandalas Drawing Studio is rated higher. iPastels averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Mandalas Drawing Studio averages 4.7 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do iPastels or Mandalas Drawing Studio have ads?

Neither iPastels nor Mandalas Drawing Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iPastels or Mandalas Drawing Studio?

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, and Mandalas Drawing Studio every 6 weeks. Most recently, iPastels was updated on October 26, 2026 and Mandalas Drawing Studio 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.*