# KaleidoPaint vs TangledString

The clearest difference is update cadence: KaleidoPaint at every 5 months against TangledString's every 42 months. TangledString's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

KaleidoPaint ships an update every 5 months, TangledString every 42 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KaleidoPaint | TangledString |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaleidopaint/id518275953/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **77** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 42 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeff Weeks](https://appshunter.io/developer/326104308) | [Yukihiro Shioya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565306192) |

## What reviewers say

### KaleidoPaint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaleidopaint/id518275953)

Create intricate, repeating designs by mirroring your brushstrokes in real-time. Offers extensive editing tools for precise control over every element of your artwork. Export your creations as tileable images or standard graphics.

**Highlights:** Real-time mirrored brushstrokes, 17 symmetry patterns, Vector graphics editing, Curve smoothing and area fill, Undo/Redo functionality, Export tileable rectangles

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Intuitive and easy to use
- 🎨 Great for creating patterns and designs
- 💎 Free and ad-free
- 💡 Vector-based editing
- 🔄 Allows for easy line adjustment (Bezier curves)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes or doesn't open
- 🐛 Opens files app instead of the app itself
- 🐛 Blank page with no controls
- 🐛 Recent changes made the app confusing and less user-friendly
- 🐛 Old drawings ruined by updates

**Reported bugs**

- App opens files app and no files are selectable
- App opens an empty page without any controls
- App immediately opens files without allowing creation
- App doesn't work, opens files app and doesn't allow creation
- Old drawings ruined by updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to break a line from a selected point
- Eraser tool
- Export as SVG option
- More features like different brushes, blending colors, more symmetrical choices, and better stroke control
- Ability to export in a square format


### TangledString

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tangledstring/id1596545427)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KaleidoPaint free?

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

### Is TangledString free?

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

### Do KaleidoPaint or TangledString have ads?

Neither KaleidoPaint nor TangledString shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KaleidoPaint or TangledString?

KaleidoPaint ships an update every 5 months, and TangledString every 42 months. Most recently, KaleidoPaint was updated on November 1, 2026 and TangledString on November 3, 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.*