Comparison

TatToolkit vs StencilStudio

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

Head to head
About

TatToolkit

This app provides tattoo artists with a suite of tools to streamline their design and stencil creation process. It offers features for image enhancement, color palette generation, and seamless workflow integration, helping artists create precise tattoos more efficiently.

Highlights
  • Multiple stencil creation methods
  • Image enhancement and refinement
  • Color palette generation with ink matching
  • Layer management for composition
  • High-resolution export for printing
  • Background removal
Features
Read full description

TATTOOLKIT: THE ALL-IN-ONE STUDIO FOR TATTOO ARTISTS Everything between a client's idea and a finished stencil, in one app: Stencils, references, drawing and printing. TatToolkit is built for the way tattoo artists actually work, so you spend less time on your iPad and more time tattooing. STENCILS IN SECONDS - Classic stencil methods: QuickLine, Sketchy, and Trace - API-powered TrueLine and PowerLine for clean, accurate linework - Stack and combine stencil layers over your reference to get exactly the look you want - Adjust levels, add noise, and draw or erase directly on the stencil A REAL DRAWING & PAINTING ENGINE - Custom engine built for tattoo design, made for Apple Pencil - Brush Yard: build, organize and import custom brushes and brush sets - Smudge, Wet Mix, Dodge, Burn and Blur tools LAYERS & PROJECTS - Start from a blank canvas at any size, or from a photo - Groups, blend modes, clipping masks, merge, duplicate, rename and reorder - Projects save automatically, so you can pick up right where you left off TRANSFORM & SELECT - Move, Select and Auto-Select - Scale, rotate, distort and warp one layer or many at once - Guides and grids for precise placement PERFECT YOUR REFERENCES - Filter gallery with fast filters - Curves, Color Balance, Colorize, Temperature & Tint, brightness, contrast and more - Gaussian, Motion and Radial Blur, plus Depth of Field - Remove backgrounds in one tap - Convert to grayscale with custom channel controls COLOR PALETTES - Generate palettes from any reference - Find the closest ink matches for each color - In-cap mixing suggestions to hit the exact tone you need PRINT-TO-SIZE - Print at the exact dimensions you need, even across multiple sheets for large pieces - Export stencils and references in high resolution, straight to your printer FAST, NATURAL GESTURES - Pinch, rotate, three-finger tap to redo - Radial menus for quick tools like copy, cut and paste - Quick shape corrections and color sampling with a long press SUBSCRIPTION & CREDITS TatToolkit requires a monthly subscription of $9.99 to access all features, with a 1-week free trial for new subscribers. Your subscription automatically renews each month until canceled. The subscription includes 50 credits per month for API-powered cloud stencils; additional credit packs are available as in-app purchases. ABOUT US TatToolkit is built by a working tattoo artist who knows the challenges of the craft firsthand. We keep improving the app based on feedback from the artists who use it. Questions, ideas or feedback? Reach us at support@tattoolkit.com. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, TatToolkit gives you the tools to design, stencil and print with confidence. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.tattoolkit.com/pages/tracerTOS

About

StencilStudio

This app helps tattoo artists quickly create high-quality stencils from photos and references. It streamlines the tracing and cleanup process, allowing artists to focus more on tattooing and less on preparation. Designed for practical use, it generates clean, readable linework for a faster, more efficient workflow.

Highlights
  • Create stencils from photos
  • Generate clean black-and-white linework
  • Speed up tracing and prep time
  • Save and manage stencil outputs
  • Improve workflow efficiency
  • Focus on readability
Features
Read full description

StencilStudio is the most complete and advanced tattoo stencil maker and print app for tattoo artists. Cut hours of repetitive stencil prep and spend more time on the creative work: designing, adjusting, placing, and tattooing the piece. Turn photos, references, custom designs, and existing tattoo images into clean, stencil-ready output, then fit it to the body, upscale it, export it, and print it from your iPhone. It is a professional stencil maker, body placement, upscale, export, and print workflow for artists who want to move faster, stay in control, and keep their studio day flowing. WHAT YOU CAN DO • CREATE STENCILS FAST Turn photos, references, and designs into tattoo stencil output in seconds. • KEEP IMPORTANT DETAILS Generate readable black-and-white stencil linework while keeping the details that matter. • WORK FROM REAL REFERENCES Use client references, photo references, custom designs, flash, or existing tattoo images. • FIT DESIGNS TO THE BODY Bend and adjust your stencil so it can better follow the shape of the body before you commit to the final placement. • MIRROR AND RESIZE Prepare your stencil for the actual tattoo workflow, not just for a preview. • EXPORT PNG OR PDF Save clean stencil files and keep them ready for your next step. • PRINT FROM IPHONE Prepare print-ready stencil files and print with AirPrint-compatible printers. • PREPARE FOR STENCIL PRINTERS Create output that is easier to size, mirror, export, and send into your tattoo print workflow. • MOVE FASTER ON BUSY DAYS Handle multiple pieces, difficult references, client changes, body placement, and heavier studio days with less friction. BUILT FOR REAL TATTOO WORK A stencil that looks interesting but is hard to follow does not help. StencilStudio is designed around practical output: clean enough to read, fast enough to use, flexible enough to place, and ready enough to print. Use it when you need to: • CLEAN UP A REFERENCE quickly • PREPARE A COMPLEX PIECE faster • CREATE CLIENT-READY OPTIONS • CHECK HOW A DESIGN FITS THE BODY • BEND A STENCIL FOR BETTER PLACEMENT • SAVE TIME BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT • REDUCE TRACING WITHOUT LOSING CLARITY • SIZE, MIRROR, EXPORT, OR PRINT A STENCIL • KEEP YOUR WORKFLOW MOVING IN THE STUDIO PRINT-READY WORKFLOW StencilStudio is not just for generating a stencil image and leaving you there. You can prepare your stencil for the next step in your real workflow: resize it, mirror it, export it, save it as PNG or PDF, and print it directly from your iPhone with AirPrint-compatible printers. WHO IT IS FOR StencilStudio is made for: • PROFESSIONAL TATTOO ARTISTS who want faster stencil prep • EXPERIENCED ARTISTS working from real references • APPRENTICES who want a cleaner starting point • STUDIOS that need a faster prep and print workflow • TATTOO PROFESSIONALS who want more time for the creative work, not the repetitive setup WHY ARTISTS USE IT The slow part is often not the tattoo itself. It is the cleanup before the tattoo. The tracing before the stencil. The sizing before the print. The placement check before the client is ready. The repeated prep before the real work can begin. StencilStudio helps reduce that load. You stay in control. You decide what works. You keep your style, your judgment, and your craft. The app simply helps you get to a usable, printable tattoo stencil faster. If stencil prep, body placement, sizing, or printing are taking too much time from your day, StencilStudio gives you a faster way to create, fit, prepare, export, and print tattoo-ready stencils from your iPhone. Terms of Use: https://www.stencilstudio.art/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.stencilstudio.art/privacy

Screenshots

TatToolkit3 screens
StencilStudio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: StencilStudio at 95% against TatToolkit's 50%. StencilStudio also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. TatToolkit sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month and StencilStudio sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

StencilStudio holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StencilStudio has 412 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of TatToolkit's written reviews are positive against 95% of StencilStudio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TatToolkit versus StencilStudio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTatToolkitStencilStudio
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (3 ratings)4.8 (412 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3412 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysEvery 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.716.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size224 MB106 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonathan HolbertAndrea Mezzadra

Customer experience

TatToolkit

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

StencilStudio

All ratings412 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral4.6%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.3%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TatToolkit

Subscriptions1
  • TatToolkit Standard Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
7 purchases

StencilStudio

Subscriptions3
  • Professional$9.991 Month
  • Pro Artist$14.991 Month
  • Studio$29.991 Month
One-time4
  • 100 Credits$4.99
  • 500 Credits$14.99
  • 1000 Credits$24.99
Show 1 more
  • 5000 Credits$99.99

Questions

Is TatToolkit free?
TatToolkit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is StencilStudio free?
StencilStudio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TatToolkit or StencilStudio?
StencilStudio is rated higher. TatToolkit averages 3.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while StencilStudio averages 4.8 from 412 ratings.
Do TatToolkit or StencilStudio have ads?
Neither TatToolkit nor StencilStudio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TatToolkit or StencilStudio?
TatToolkit ships an update every 2 days, and StencilStudio every 2 days. Most recently, TatToolkit was updated on September 29, 2026 and StencilStudio on October 13, 2026.

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