# iPastels vs Blackboard

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Blackboard at none against iPastels's 6. Blackboard also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7). iPastels's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Blackboard holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iPastels has 2.2K ratings behind it against 199, so its average is the more settled of the two.

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, Blackboard every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPastels | Blackboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipastels/id489302558/reviews) | **[4.9 (199 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard-doodle-drawing-pad/id1558037800/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 199 |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 24 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 12.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Norbyte](https://appshunter.io/developer/331310753) | [An Banh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1466900439) |

## 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


### Blackboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard-doodle-drawing-pad/id1558037800)

Transform your device into a digital chalkboard for drawing and writing with colored chalks. Ideal for educational purposes, collaborative explanations, or casual games.

**Highlights:** Digital chalkboard simulation, Write and draw with colored chalks, Educational tool for children, Useful for explanations and graphs, Play games like tic-tac-toe

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPastels free?

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

### Is Blackboard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iPastels or Blackboard?

Blackboard is rated higher. iPastels averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Blackboard averages 4.9 from 199 ratings.

### Do iPastels or Blackboard have ads?

Blackboard shows ads; iPastels does not.

### Which is updated more often, iPastels or Blackboard?

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, and Blackboard every 4 months. Most recently, iPastels was updated on November 1, 2026 and Blackboard on October 24, 2026.

---

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