Comparison

Cherkalka vs Instaboard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cherkalka

This app offers a versatile toolkit for quick note-taking, image editing, and on-the-fly modifications. Seamlessly sketch or write on photos directly from your gallery or use its action extension for broader application compatibility. It's designed for efficient visual communication and creative annotation.

Highlights
  • Quick note creation on photos
  • Integrated photo editor
  • Action extension for sharing
  • Drawing and erasing tools
  • Customizable pencil width and color
  • Store and duplicate notes
  • Stylus palm touch elimination
Features
Read full description

Three in one: the app to create notes, photo editor to alter images in Photos, action extension to make changes on the fly. Cherkalka is a great tool when in need to note quickly on a photo, just to sketch or write, all these without launching a heavy notepad. The app includes a photo editor and an action extension. The photo editor allows you to make notes on photos right from the Photos app without launching the app. The action extension gives you possibility to handle pictures from any app supporting that feature and share the results. Note: not every program able to receive the result after you press the Done button, e.g., the Photos app does not support that feature, in the case with the Photos use the photo editor. Cherkalka can: • draw and erase; • change width and color of the pencil, color of a note; • share created pictures; • utilize photos; • store created notes and duplicate them; • eliminate palm touches when you use a stylus. The full version in addition can: • resize the note; • move and rotate layers of strokes and background; • scale the current note view; • change width and color of a pencil in the photo editor and the extension; • sync notes via iCloud; • to not show the app logo on exported pictures.

About

Instaboard

This app combines a digital whiteboard, planner, and meeting space on an infinite canvas. Sketch ideas, manage tasks, and collaborate in real-time with built-in video calls. It's designed for visual planning, project management, and remote team collaboration.

Highlights
  • Infinite canvas for drawing and sketching
  • Structured cards with checklists and due dates
  • Kanban boards for task tracking
  • Calendar view for scheduling
  • Built-in video calls for live collaboration
  • Cross-device compatibility (iPad, iPhone, web)
Features
Read full description

Stop being the one who chases everyone. Instaboard is one shared board for the plan: what needs doing, who's doing it, and everything you need to know. Drop the link in the group chat and everyone sees the same plan, live. FOR ANYTHING YOU PLAN WITH OTHER PEOPLE • Trips: who books what, the day plan, and costs split by family • Weddings: vendors, the guest list, the day hour by hour, and the budget • Families: birthdays, holidays and school pickups • Shops and cafés: opening and closing checklists your staff tick off • Tutoring and teaching: write on the same worksheet as your student, live EVERYONE GRABS A JOB • Put names and due dates on cards, and tick them off when they're done • Everyone sees each change the moment it happens • Comment on a card instead of digging through the chat JOINING TAKES SECONDS • Share a link, a QR code or a 4-digit code • No download for them: the board opens in any phone or web browser DRAW AND TALK IT THROUGH • Sketch on an endless whiteboard with Apple Pencil or your finger • Drop in a PDF, a map or a worksheet and mark it up together • Start a video call right on the board and point with the laser ROOM FOR EVERY DETAIL • Any card opens into its own board, so big plans stay tidy • Lists, checklists, tags, calendar view, photos, files, links and places • Split costs and see who owes whom • Save links and photos from any app to Pile, and sort them later WORKS WHERE YOU ARE • Keeps working offline and syncs when you're back • iPhone, iPad and the web • Export a board as a PDF or an image EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy policy: https://instaboard.app/privacy

Screenshots

Cherkalka4 screens
Instaboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Instaboard at every 2 weeks against Cherkalka's every 2 months. Instaboard also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 82%). Cherkalka's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cherkalka sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Instaboard sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Instaboard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Cherkalka's written reviews are positive against 100% of Instaboard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cherkalka ships an update every 2 months, Instaboard every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cherkalka versus Instaboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCherkalkaInstaboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (21 ratings)5.0 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings21 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB175 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSemen KudriavtsevInstaboard Ltd.

Customer experience

Cherkalka

All ratings21 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews82 reviews
Positive81.7%
Neutral3.7%
Negative14.6%

Instaboard

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Cherkalka

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when trying to take a photo
  • Rubber/eraser doesn't delete
  • Unclear how to handle some settings
  • Translations are poorly made

Requested features

11 requests
  • Add undo and redo features
  • Improve line quality for sharper lines
  • Enhance color selection with smooth scrolling
  • Allow notes on clear backgrounds interchangeable with PC applications
  • Support vector compatible format for professional editing
Show 6 more
  • Add more features and filters
  • Implement an undo option for the last stroke
  • Make it easier to restore a white background
  • Save selected photo from album within the app for future modifications
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve translation quality

Instaboard

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cherkalka

One-time1
  • The full version$0.99
4 purchases

Instaboard

Subscriptions4
  • Instaboard Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Instaboard Pro$7.991 Month
  • Instaboard Pro (12 months)7 Days trial$59.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Instaboard Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Cherkalka free?
Cherkalka is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Instaboard free?
Instaboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cherkalka or Instaboard?
Instaboard is rated higher. Cherkalka averages 4.7 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Instaboard averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.
Do Cherkalka or Instaboard have ads?
Neither Cherkalka nor Instaboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cherkalka or Instaboard?
Cherkalka ships an update every 2 months, and Instaboard every 2 weeks. Most recently, Cherkalka was updated on November 1, 2026 and Instaboard on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons