Comparison

Mural Trace vs Drawing Grid Guide

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

Drawing Grid Guide

Features
Read full description

Drawing Grid Guide Improve your drawing accuracy by overlaying a customisable grid onto any reference photo. Whether you're sketching portraits, landscapes, animals or still life, Drawing Grid Guide makes it easy to break complex subjects into manageable sections and achieve more accurate proportions. Designed for artists of all skill levels, the app provides a clean, distraction-free workspace that lets you focus on your artwork. Features • Import any photo from your photo library • Overlay an adjustable drawing grid • Choose grid sizes from 2×2 up to 20×20 • Customise grid line thickness • Adjust grid opacity • Choose from multiple grid colours • Optional row and column numbering • Pinch to zoom and reposition your reference image • Hide controls for an uncluttered drawing reference • Automatically remembers your preferred grid settings Perfect For • Portrait drawing • Figure drawing • Landscapes • Animals • Still life • Architecture • Traditional and digital artists Whether you're learning to draw or refining your technique, Drawing Grid Guide gives you a fast, simple way to create accurate reference grids whenever inspiration strikes. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Mural Trace4 screens
Drawing Grid Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Drawing Grid Guide at every 10 days against Mural Trace's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Drawing Grid Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mural Trace ships an update every 2 months, Drawing Grid Guide every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Mural Trace versus Drawing Grid Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMural TraceDrawing Grid Guide
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBarrel of SunshineWarren Peters

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
1 purchases

Drawing Grid Guide

One-time1
  • DrawingGridGuide Pro Unlock$2.99

Questions

Is Mural Trace free?
Mural Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Drawing Grid Guide free?
Drawing Grid Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Mural Trace or Drawing Grid Guide have ads?
Neither Mural Trace nor Drawing Grid Guide shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mural Trace or Drawing Grid Guide?
Mural Trace ships an update every 2 months, and Drawing Grid Guide every 10 days. Most recently, Mural Trace was updated on September 27, 2026 and Drawing Grid Guide on September 23, 2026.

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