# Hello WaterColor vs Etchr

The clearest difference is rating: Etchr at 4.8 against Hello WaterColor's 3.6. Etchr also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months). Hello WaterColor's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hello WaterColor sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Etchr sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $130.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Etchr holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 44 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of Hello WaterColor's written reviews are positive against 40% of Etchr's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hello WaterColor ships an update every 7 months, Etchr monthly. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hello WaterColor | Etchr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-watercolor/id539414526/reviews) | **[4.8 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etchr/id1613381047/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **86** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | **45.8% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 75 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Raysoft.co](https://appshunter.io/developer/433279490) | [Etchd Lab Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1440443562) |

## What reviewers say

### Hello WaterColor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-watercolor/id539414526)

This app offers a realistic watercolor painting experience with advanced fluid simulation for natural pigment blending. It supports various watercolor techniques and pencil sketching, making it ideal for both beginners and aspiring artists to learn and create. Explore different brushes, colors, and coloring books.

**Highlights:** Realistic watercolor brushes, Pencil sketching support, Fluid simulation for pigment blending, Support for watercolor techniques, Free coloring books, Drying tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| water.fullversion | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_ibook1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_ibook2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_cbook123 | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_cbook4 | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_cbook5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_cbook6 | $0.99 | one-time |
| water_cbook7 | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎨 Good watercolor effect
- ✨ Convenient for sketches
- 🖌️ Blends colors softly
- 💡 Useful for artists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashing
- 🐛 App closes unexpectedly
- 🐛 Work is lost after crashing
- 🗑️ Limited color selection
- 🗑️ Colors don't mix well

**Reported bugs**

- App closes and won't reopen
- Save icon closes the app
- Clicking on new closes the app
- App crashes often
- App freezes up phone

**Requested features**

- Add zoom feature
- Add blending tool
- More colors
- Better shading and quality pencils
- Add glitter


### Etchr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etchr/id1613381047)

Learn art from global artists through live and on-demand classes. Explore various mediums like watercolor and illustration, from beginner to advanced levels. Join a supportive community to develop new skills and create art.

**Highlights:** Live and on-demand art classes, Learn from expert artists, Explore various mediums, Beginner to advanced levels, Supportive artist community, Stream content anytime

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscribe to 400+ h of classes | $130.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hello WaterColor free?

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

### Is Etchr free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hello WaterColor or Etchr?

Etchr is rated higher. Hello WaterColor averages 3.6 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Etchr averages 4.8 from 44 ratings.

### Do Hello WaterColor or Etchr have ads?

Neither Hello WaterColor nor Etchr shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hello WaterColor or Etchr?

Hello WaterColor ships an update every 7 months, and Etchr monthly. Most recently, Hello WaterColor was updated on October 21, 2026 and Etchr on October 21, 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.*