# KaleidoPaint vs Second Stream

The clearest difference is monetization model: Second Stream at free against KaleidoPaint's paid. Second Stream also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). KaleidoPaint's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.1 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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, Second Stream weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KaleidoPaint | Second Stream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaleidopaint/id518275953/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **76** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.1** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeff Weeks](https://appshunter.io/developer/326104308) | [Nicolas Widynski](https://appshunter.io/developer/687198503) |

## 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


### Second Stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-stream/id6760979035)

This app consolidates all your subscribed content, including podcasts, YouTube channels, and RSS feeds, into one unified reader. AI-generated summaries help you quickly grasp key information from new episodes and articles, saving you time and reducing distractions.

**Highlights:** AI-generated summaries for podcasts and YouTube, Unified reader for multiple content sources, Curated weekly news digests, Distraction-free reading experience, Obsidian vault sync for bookmarks and notes, Background feed refresh, Shake to mark all as read

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KaleidoPaint free?

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

### Is Second Stream free?

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

### Do KaleidoPaint or Second Stream have ads?

Neither KaleidoPaint nor Second Stream shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KaleidoPaint or Second Stream?

KaleidoPaint ships an update every 5 months, and Second Stream weekly. Most recently, KaleidoPaint was updated on October 13, 2026 and Second Stream on October 4, 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.*