1BitPencil vs Charactool
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
1BitPencil
This high-resolution monochrome drawing app offers a realistic pencil tool for creating illustrations, manga, and notes. It supports large canvas sizes and exports in single-color PNG, with features for essential editing and animation video creation.
- High-resolution 1-bit canvas
- Realistic pencil drawing tool
- Supports A3 size at 2400 dpi
- Exports single-color PNG files
- Animation video creation
- Essential editing functions
- Timelapse recording
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***This app requires an Apple Pencil or a compatible stylus.*** **About “1BitPencil”** 1BitPencil is all about a **high-resolution 1-bit (black & white) canvas**. Even the ultra-realistic pencil tool draws in pure black and white. It’s a high-resolution monochrome drawing app, perfect for **illustration, manga, animation, and school notes**. With a uniquely realistic pencil tool, 1BitPencil aims to recreate the feeling of drawing on paper in a fully digital environment. You can flip through pages and switch between files quickly, just like turning pages in a sketchbook. The app supports work up to **A3 size at 2400 dpi**, and exports your artwork as **single-color PNG files**. There are no layers, but you can use tracing, clean-up, and merge functions for essential editing. If you’re looking for a **simple yet high-quality drawing environment**, 1BitPencil offers a fresh and focused creative experience. **Brush tools** * Pen * Pencil * Mechanical pencil * Lasso pen * Lasso pencil * Smudge * Dot shading * Tone lasso * Tone pen **Eraser tools** * Eraser * Kneaded eraser * Lasso eraser * Lasso kneaded eraser * Dot kneaded eraser **Selection tools** * Rectangular selection * Lasso selection **Canvas navigation** * Move * Rotate * Zoom in / out **Sharing features** * Paste from Photos * Share * Copy to clipboard and paste **Trace box** * Change drawing color and background color * Load an underdrawing * Merge and save **Other features** * Create animation videos (.mp4, .gif, .apng) * Export to PDF * Timelapse recording * Snap to straight line * Stroke stabilization * Pen tilt sensitivity * Smudge or eraser with touch * Display gamma adjustment **File management** * Create new folders * Rename multiple files with sequential numbers * Duplicate multiple files
Charactool
Create and customize 3D body models with adjustable parameters for height, build, and proportions. Pose characters precisely with intuitive controls and choose from various shading styles, including realistic and cel-shaded options. Export models in multiple 3D formats for use in other creative software.
- Customizable body types and proportions
- Intuitive joint controls for posing
- Multiple shading styles (realistic, cel-shaded)
- Anatomy shading for muscle detail
- 3D export in GLB, FBX, OBJ, USDZ (Pro)
- Designed for illustrators and concept artists
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CUSTOMIZE ANY BODY TYPE ∙ Go beyond cookie-cutter 3D models ∙ Adjust height, build, proportions, and dozens of body parameters ∙ Create any character from slim to muscular, tall to short, and everything in between POSE IT YOUR WAY ∙ Set up any pose with intuitive joint controls ∙ Rotate, adjust, and fine-tune every angle to match your scene ∙ No more awkward stock poses — create exactly what your art demands MULTIPLE SHADING STYLES ∙ Switch between realistic, cel-shaded, and 3D animation styles ∙ Use anatomy shading to see muscle lines and color-coded muscle groups ∙ Find the perfect look to match your art style and workflow EXPORT IN 3D FORMATS (Pro subscribers only) ∙ GLB, FBX, OBJ, and USDZ supported ∙ Use your models in Clip Studio, Blender, and other creative tools ∙ Take your customized 3D characters into any workflow BUILT FOR ARTISTS ∙ Designed by an artist, for artists ∙ Perfect for webtoons, manga, illustrations, and concept art ∙ Get accurate body references without relying on stereotypical 3D models Terms of Use: https://charactool.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://charactool.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Charactool at Free against 1BitPencil's $6.99. Charactool also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 69%) and ratings volume (15 vs 1). 1BitPencil's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 weeks). On rating and ads 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
Charactool is free to download; 1BitPencil costs $6.99 up front. Charactool sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. 1BitPencil asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for 1BitPencil against 4.9 for Charactool. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Charactool has 15 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of 1BitPencil's written reviews are positive against 89% of Charactool's.
1BitPencil ships an update every 8 days, Charactool every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 1BitPencil | Charactool |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.9 (15 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.2% of reviews | 88.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 15 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 460 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | HALVAL Ltd. | UJULIN Co. |
Customer experience
1BitPencil
Charactool
In-app purchases
1BitPencil
No in-app purchases
Charactool
- Charactool Plus – Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
- Charactool Pro – Monthly7 Days trial$14.991 Month
- Charactool Plus – Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
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- Charactool Pro – Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is 1BitPencil free?
Is Charactool free?
Which has better reviews, 1BitPencil or Charactool?
Do 1BitPencil or Charactool have ads?
Which is updated more often, 1BitPencil or Charactool?
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