Comparison

Morpholio Trace vs Etchpad

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

Head to head
About

Morpholio Trace

This app is a comprehensive design and architecture drawing tool. It allows users to sketch, layer ideas, and communicate designs through markups. It supports various file types and offers tools for creating professional-quality drawings to scale.

Highlights
  • Layered idea development
  • Drawing markup and communication
  • Drawing to scale
  • Sketching on images and PDFs
  • Exporting drawing sets
  • Perspective tools
  • AR features
Features
Read full description

SKETCH, DESIGN, CREATE  Trace is the ALL-IN-ONE design & architecture app. Awarded “Best App,” Trace is a truly unique drawing tool that allows you to easily develop ideas in layers, communicate via drawing markup, and work fluidly through ALL phases of the design process. Ideal for architects, interior designers, landscape architects, industrial designers, urban planners, lighting designers, engineers, or members of any creative culture, Trace lets you create intelligent sketches & drawings to meet all of your design needs. Draw on top of images, PDFs, maps, photos, drawing sets, 3D models, background templates, and more TO SCALE using exceptional designer tools, brushes and pens. Bring new life to your design process and transform your workflow with the ease, flexibility and the magic of digital hand sketching. ______________ THINGS YOU CAN DO: DESIGN • Develop ideas, options & concepts • Sketch buildings & objects • Layout home, office & landscape renovations  MARKUP • Drawing sets & PDFs • Construction site photos • Presentations, renderings or images DRAW • Floor plans, sections & elevations to scale • Site plans & landscaping  • Illustrations & presentation images WORK • Make & export drawing sets • Scale & measure drawings or images • Organize by project ______________ FREE FEATURES INCLUDE:  -Up to 5 Projects -Basic Pens & Brushes -Layers -Layer Manager -Scale Pen -Paper Unbound -Export Images, PDFs or Sets -Sketch Recording -Instant Scale -Scale Ruler -Color Palette Maker PLUS SUBSCRIPTION FEATURES Also Includes -All Basic Features -Full Pens & Brushes -Up to 20 Projects -Magic Lasso -Super Ruler -Scale Triangle -Scale Protractor -Stencils -PDF Markup and Manager PRO SUBSCRIPTION FEATURES Also Includes -All Basic & Plus Features -Unlimited Projects -Folders -Perspective Tools -Maps to Scale -Smart Fill -AR Perspective Finder -AR SketchWalk -Sketch Over 3D Models -PSD Export ______________ 
SUBSCRIPTION INFO: One subscription gives you access to both your iPhone and iPad. Work like a PRO. Morpholio Trace subscription plans are available in the following options: •TracePlus •TracePro All payments are controlled and managed by Apple. If you are offered and activate a free trial, your Apple ID account will be charged only at the end of your free trial period for the subscription unless canceled at least one day before the end of the free trial period. Your Subscription will automatically renew and your Apple ID account will be charged unless your Subscription is cancelled at least 24-hours before the renewal date. No commitment. You can cancel your free trial as well as manage or cancel your Subscriptions at any time by going to your Apple ID account in the Apple Settings app. Privacy policy: http://www.morpholioapps.com/privacy/ Terms of use: http://www.morpholioapps.com/terms/ ______________ JOIN US:  We would be thrilled to have Morpholio Trace be a part of your creative process. We hope you enjoy Trace and if there are any specific ways it could be improved for your use, please send us your feedback at https://www.morpholioapps.com/support/

About

Etchpad

Relive nostalgic drawing experiences with this app that lets you create images using two knobs for horizontal and vertical lines. Erase your creations by shaking your device or using a long press. Share your artwork through various methods.

Highlights
  • Draw with horizontal and vertical knobs
  • Shake to erase screen
  • Long press erase option
  • Share drawings easily
  • Nostalgic drawing interface
Features
Read full description

Draw lines with two knobs horizontally and vertically with this nostalgic drawing app. Erase the screen by shaking the phone (or with long press if authentic way is too difficult). You can share the drawing by various ways.

Screenshots

Morpholio Trace4 screens
Etchpad2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Etchpad at none against Morpholio Trace's 4. Etchpad also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 70%). Morpholio Trace's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Morpholio Trace sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Etchpad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Morpholio Trace holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Morpholio Trace has 11K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Morpholio Trace's written reviews are positive against 80% of Etchpad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Morpholio Trace ships an update every 2 weeks, Etchpad every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Morpholio Trace versus Etchpad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMorpholio TraceEtchpad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (11K ratings) — better4.3 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews69.7% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11K — better12
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 21 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size625 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVectorworks, Inc.Digital Footmark Oy

Customer experience

Morpholio Trace

All ratings10,675 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral3.3%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews1,029 reviews
Positive69.7%
Neutral8.2%
Negative22.2%

Etchpad

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

Morpholio Trace

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Ruler tool freezing and becoming unresponsive
  • Imported images randomly rotating or resizing
  • Undo/redo functionality being unreliable
  • Exported PDFs having low resolution or quality issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to merge and copy layers
  • More customization options for title blocks and annotations
  • Cloud sync and multi-device support
  • Improved text handling and dimensioning tools
  • Integration with CAD and 3D modeling software

Etchpad

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Morpholio Trace

Subscriptions4
  • Trace Essentials Subscription1 Month trial$4.991 Year
  • Trace Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Trace Plus Subscription1 Month trial$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Trace Pro Subscription1 Month trial$24.991 Year
None

Etchpad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Morpholio Trace free?
Morpholio Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Etchpad free?
Etchpad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Morpholio Trace or Etchpad?
Morpholio Trace is rated higher. Morpholio Trace averages 4.7 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Etchpad averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.
Do Morpholio Trace or Etchpad have ads?
Etchpad shows ads; Morpholio Trace does not.
Which is updated more often, Morpholio Trace or Etchpad?
Morpholio Trace ships an update every 2 weeks, and Etchpad every 21 months. Most recently, Morpholio Trace was updated on November 5, 2026 and Etchpad on November 3, 2026.

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