Comparison

Mural Trace vs StudArt

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

Head to head
About

Mural Trace

Easily transfer and enlarge any image onto surfaces like walls or canvas using a phone camera and the grid method. Simplify colors, create grids, and trace sections with AR overlay. Perfect for murals, art projects, and DIY décor.

Highlights
  • Image posterization with color simplification
  • Customizable grid system for tracing
  • AR camera overlay for real-time tracing
  • Color palette extraction
  • PDF export of grid reference
  • Project management and progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Paint any image - no artistic skill required! Transfer and enlarge any photo onto walls, paper, canvas, or any large surface. Perfect for DIY home murals, street art, classroom projects, and professional installations. Use the classic grid method to divide your image into squares and trace one section at a time, using your phone's camera as a guide. Brought to you by Ctrl V Art Studio (ctrlvartstudio.com) WHY Ctrl V Art Grid? - No projector required - just your phone - Works in any lighting conditions - No artistic experience needed - Works on any wall size - Portable - take it anywhere - Much cheaper than projector setups HOW IT WORKS: 1. CHOOSE YOUR IMAGE Select any photo from your library - portraits, landscapes, logos, or artwork. 2. SIMPLIFY THE COLORS Use powerful posterization tools to reduce your image to paintable color zones. Adjust levels, contrast, and even extract a color palette to know exactly which paints to buy. 3. CREATE YOUR GRID Divide your image into a grid of squares. The app calculates the exact size each square should be. 4. TRACE WITH YOUR CAMERA Hold your phone up and use the AR camera overlay to trace each square. Pinch, zoom, and rotate to align perfectly. 5. COMPLETE YOUR PAINTING Track your progress as you paint. Mark squares complete and watch your masterpiece come together. KEY FEATURES: SMART POSTERIZATION • Reduce images to 2-10 colour levels • Multiple presets: Bold, Pop Art, Stencil, Vintage • HSB color mode for advanced control • Extract color palettes from your image • Custom color replacement FLEXIBLE GRID SYSTEM • Customizable rows and columns • Wall size calculator • Alphanumeric square labels (A1, B2, etc.) • Visual progress tracking AR CAMERA OVERLAY • Real-time image overlay on camera • Pinch to resize, rotate to align • Adjustable opacity • Position lock to prevent accidents • Built-in torch for low light PDF EXPORT • Print your grid as a reference guide • Perfect for planning large projects PROJECT MANAGEMENT • Save unlimited projects • Resume anytime • Track completion progress PERFECT FOR: • Painting portraits & landscapes • Bedroom & living room accent walls • Children's room murals • Garden walls and fences • Garage and basement art • Restaurant & café décor • Office and workspace murals • School art projects • Community murals • Street art and graffiti • Canvas enlargements • Stage backdrops • Shop signage SUBSCRIPTION Try Ctrl V Art Grid free, then unlock all features with a subscription or one-off payment: • Unlimited projects • All posterization styles • PDF export Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in Account Settings. Privacy Policy: https://barrelofsunshine.com/art-grid-privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you! hello@barrelofsunshine.com www.barrelofsunshine.com www.ctrlvartstudio.com Start your masterpiece today - download Ctrl V Art Grid now!

About

StudArt

Features
Read full description

StudArt turns your favorite photos into buildable brick mosaics. Choose your project size, baseplate layout and frame pieces, and let the app do the hard work for you. Design your mosaic Import a picture from your device. Pick the size of your mosaic and the number of plates. Preview a clean grid where every stud has its color and position. Plan your build Automatic calculation of baseplates, frame pieces and connectors. Clear separation between corner, edge and center plates. See how your project is distributed plate by plate. Build with confidence Step-by-step layout pages that show exactly where each stud goes. Dedicated views for connectors and pins so nothing is missing. Perfect for recreating pixel art, portraits and custom designs with real bricks. Export & share Generate a printable PDF with cover and full instructions. StudArt is made for brick fans, creators and teachers who want a simple way to turn ideas into physical brick art without doing the math by hand.

Screenshots

Mural Trace4 screens
StudArt3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StudArt at none against Mural Trace's 3. StudArt also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Mural Trace's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support 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. Mural Trace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. StudArt asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Mural Trace versus StudArt: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMural TraceStudArt
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBarrel of SunshineIvan Rodriguez

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Mural Trace

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly - Ctrl V Art Grid$3.991 Month
  • Annual - Ctrl V Art Grid$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access - Ctrl V Art Grid$9.99
None

StudArt

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mural Trace free?
Mural Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is StudArt free?
StudArt is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mural Trace or StudArt have ads?
StudArt shows ads; Mural Trace does not.
Which is updated more often, Mural Trace or StudArt?
Mural Trace ships an update every 2 months, and StudArt every 2 months. Most recently, Mural Trace was updated on September 7, 2026 and StudArt on September 8, 2026.

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