# Pencil Sketch vs GHOSTLINE

The clearest difference is rating: GHOSTLINE at 4.6 against Pencil Sketch's 4.0. GHOSTLINE also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Pencil Sketch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GHOSTLINE sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Pencil Sketch asks for nothing beyond the download.

GHOSTLINE holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 148 and 358 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Pencil Sketch's written reviews are positive against 69% of GHOSTLINE's.

Pencil Sketch ships an update every 5 months, GHOSTLINE monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pencil Sketch | GHOSTLINE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-sketch-image-editor/id591494122/reviews) | **[4.6 (358 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghostline/id6444372551/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 148 | **358** |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | **68.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Subscription |
| Size | 36 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dumpling Sandwich Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/591494125) | [Ghostline, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654281154) |

## What reviewers say

### Pencil Sketch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-sketch-image-editor/id591494122)

Transform your photos into realistic pencil sketches or cartoon-style drawings with a single tap. This app offers multiple artistic styles, photo editing tools, and frames to enhance your creations. Easily save and share your artwork.

**Highlights:** Create pencil sketches from photos, Generate colorful or black-white sketches, Three artistic styles: Sketch, Doodle, Hatch, Apply photo frames, Built-in photo editor, Add filters, stickers, and adjust brightness/contrast

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Good effects
- ✨ Creates beautiful sketches
- 🚀 Fast processing
- 🎁 Good for gifts

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Too many ads
- 🐛 App crashes/freezes
- ❌ Photos not saving
- 👎 Poor quality
- 🤷‍♂️ Limited filters/options

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on opening ad screen
- Photos not saving to gallery
- App crashes
- Ads prevent app usage
- Filters not working

**Requested features**

- More filter options
- Ability to save to specific folders
- Improved drawing functionality
- Dark mode
- Print multiple pages at once


### GHOSTLINE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghostline/id6444372551)

This app transforms your artwork into print-ready tattoo stencils quickly and efficiently. It offers tools to cut out subjects, upscale references, and customize stencils for various printing methods. Save time on tracing and focus on creating exceptional tattoos.

**Highlights:** Cut out subjects with one tap, Upscale and sharpen reference images, Generate customizable Classic and Pro stencils, Edit stencils with pen, eraser, and ruler tools, View stencils as an overlay on artwork, Multi-page and multi-size printing, Export stencils to various formats

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ghostline Unlimited Access | $5.99 | per month |
| Ghostline Unlimited Access | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Saves significant time on stencil creation
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy to learn
- 💡 Innovative stencil conversion technology
- 📏 Multi-page printing and sizing features
- 🎨 Advanced editing and customization tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model considered overpriced
- 🚫 Paywall immediately upon app opening
- ❌ Free alternatives available with similar features
- 🐛 Occasional gaps in stencil output
- 😕 Confusing stencil output for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Quarter inch gaps appearing in stencil output
- App loses important design details in conversion
- Emphasizes irrelevant details over important ones
- Inconsistent stencil quality on complex designs
- Limited customization options for stencil output

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Lower subscription pricing ($6/month considered too high)
- Lifetime subscription option under $100
- JPEG file format export option
- Save reference image as separate file


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pencil Sketch free?

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

### Is GHOSTLINE free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pencil Sketch or GHOSTLINE?

GHOSTLINE is rated higher. Pencil Sketch averages 4.0 out of 5 from 148 ratings, while GHOSTLINE averages 4.6 from 358 ratings.

### Do Pencil Sketch or GHOSTLINE have ads?

Pencil Sketch shows ads; GHOSTLINE does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pencil Sketch or GHOSTLINE?

Pencil Sketch ships an update every 5 months, and GHOSTLINE monthly. Most recently, Pencil Sketch was updated on October 29, 2026 and GHOSTLINE on October 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*