# iPastels vs Paint World

The clearest difference is rating: iPastels at 4.7 against Paint World's 2.3. iPastels also leads on ratings volume (2.1K vs 3) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). Paint World's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (95% vs 81%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iPastels sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Paint World asks for nothing beyond the download.

iPastels holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iPastels has 2.1K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of iPastels's written reviews are positive against 95% of Paint World's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, Paint World every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPastels | Paint World |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipastels/id489302558/reviews)** | [2.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-world/id1323850139/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | **95.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 24 MB | 28 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) | [Colin Shockley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1273606109) |

## 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


### Paint World

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-world/id1323850139)

Explore a vibrant world of digital art where you can freely express your creativity through drawing. Connect with other artists by sharing your creations and engaging in visual communication.

**Highlights:** Freeform drawing tools, Share artwork with others, Visual communication with users, Explore user-created art, Social art platform

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPastels free?

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

### Is Paint World free?

Paint World is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iPastels or Paint World?

iPastels is rated higher. iPastels averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Paint World averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do iPastels or Paint World have ads?

Neither iPastels nor Paint World shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iPastels or Paint World?

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, and Paint World every 3 months. Most recently, iPastels was updated on October 14, 2026 and Paint World on September 30, 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.*