# iPastels vs Paint X

The clearest difference is ads: iPastels at none against Paint X's shown. iPastels also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 364) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). Paint X's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iPastels sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Paint X sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

iPastels holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iPastels has 2.2K ratings behind it against 364, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of iPastels's written reviews are positive against 87% of Paint X'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 X every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPastels | Paint X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipastels/id489302558/reviews)** | [4.5 (364 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-x-drawing-app/id6444435660/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 364 |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | **86.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Norbyte](https://appshunter.io/developer/331310753) | [朝霞 彭](https://appshunter.io/developer/1616283456) |

## 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 X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-x-drawing-app/id6444435660)

Unleash your creativity with this intuitive drawing application. It offers a variety of brushes, color-picking tools, and helpful features for sketching, coloring, and graffiti. Perfect for both beginners and aspiring artists to create vibrant artwork.

**Highlights:** Image color picking, Multiple brush options, Free color filling, Line copying and painting, Rich material templates

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 月度订阅 | $2.99 | per month |
| 会员版本 | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Cute and fun app
- 💡 Suitable for all age groups
- 🎨 Good for drawing and coloring
- 🙂 Relaxing and calming experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some issues with sensitivity and responsiveness
- 🔒 Limited free content, most features are VIP-locked
- 🔨 Inability to undo or delete drawings

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing on some devices
- Compatibility issues on older tablets

**Requested features**

- More free content and drawing options
- Improved drawing tools and responsiveness
- Undo/delete functionality for drawings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPastels free?

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

### Is Paint X free?

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

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

iPastels is rated higher. iPastels averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Paint X averages 4.5 from 364 ratings.

### Do iPastels or Paint X have ads?

Paint X shows ads; iPastels does not.

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

iPastels ships an update every 6 weeks, and Paint X every 2 weeks. Most recently, iPastels was updated on October 26, 2026 and Paint X 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.*