BrushForge vs Hobby Dataslate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BrushForge
This app helps miniature painters organize their paint collections, convert colors between brands, and build custom color palettes. It offers AI-powered suggestions and works offline, allowing users to focus on their creative projects.
- Instant color conversion across dozens of brands
- Scan paint rack to inventory collection
- Track owned paints and create wishlists
- Build custom painting recipes and palettes
- Check model contrast with black & white view
- AI-powered color suggestions
- Offline functionality
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BrushForge – Complete Miniature Painting Toolkit BrushForge helps miniature painters track their paint collection, compare colors across brands, build palettes, save recipes, and plan painting sessions with less guesswork. Use it for Warhammer, tabletop, RPG miniatures, scale models, and hobby projects of every size. Key Features: Paint Converter Find close paint matches across popular miniature paint brands including Citadel, Vallejo, The Army Painter, Scale75, and more. Paint Collection Tracker Track the paints you own, mark wishlist paints, add custom or mixed paints, and keep notes on your collection. Photo Paint Import Take a photo of your paint rack and let BrushForge help identify paints. Review matches before adding them to your owned list. Recipes & Palettes Create step-by-step painting recipes, save project notes, and build custom color palettes for your models. Color Harmony Tools Explore palette ideas with harmony-based color tools and build stronger color schemes for your miniatures. Primed Photos Save photos of primed models and review contrast, lighting, and value placement while planning your paint scheme. AI-Powered Suggestions Get optional AI help for paint matching and recipe ideas while staying in full creative control. Offline-Friendly Your paint library, collection, recipes, palettes, and core tools are available offline. AI and purchase-related features require an internet connection. Feedback & Support Send feedback, request features, or get help directly through the app. Why BrushForge? • Match paints across brands with less guesswork. • Keep your paint library, recipes, and palettes in one place. • Plan projects faster and spend more time painting. BrushForge is free to use. Optional premium features unlock expanded limits and AI-powered tools while supporting ongoing development. Download BrushForge and focus on what matters most: bringing your miniatures to life. Links: Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Custom Terms of Use: https://brushforgeapp.com/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://brushforgeapp.com/privacy.html
Hobby Dataslate
This app helps miniature collectors and painters track their Warhammer 40K models, log paints, organize army lists, and manage hobby projects. It offers features for collection management, painting progress, and social sharing of finished models.
- Track 1,600+ datasheets
- Barcode quick-add for boxes
- Painting pipeline tracking
- Sprue & bits stash management
- Unit paint recipes
- Import/backup from other formats
- Collection documentation & valuation
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Hobby Dataslate is a miniature painting tracker for tabletop wargaming. Keep your collection inventory, hobby backlog, painting progress, paint recipes, and army lists together. An unofficial tracker for Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar collections, free to start on iPhone, iPad, and the web. COLLECTION INVENTORY & HOBBY BACKLOG Know which models you own and what still needs work. Track 40K and Age of Sigmar in one collection, organized by faction. Browse 3,000+ combined units across 40K datasheets and AoS warscrolls. Add Combat Patrols, Spearheads, and box sets in one tap, or scan a box barcode. Keep a wishlist for future projects and track your sprues and bits. PAINTING PROGRESS Follow each unit from unassembled to primed, painted, based, and finished. Save work-in-progress photos and notes so you can pick up where you left off. Set a completion goal and use Today's next step to choose a model when hobby time opens up. Stuck on what to paint next? Give the wheel a spin. PAINT COLLECTION & PAINT RECIPES Keep a paint inventory so you know which bottles are on your rack. Browse a catalog of 11,000+ paints and save painting and basing recipes for your units. Remember the colors and steps you used when it's time to paint the next squad. Hero adds recipes you can reuse across a whole army. ARMY LISTS Build 40K and Age of Sigmar lists with points and painting readiness alongside your collection. Import BattleScribe, New Recruit, or WH40K app lists, then see what you own and what you're missing. Export tournament PDFs when you're ready for a game. HOBBY DESK TIMER Log painting sessions with the desk timer and look back at the time you've spent on your models. Use batch painting projects to work through squads together. SYNC ACROSS PHONE, TABLET & WEB Sign in to keep your collection with you on iPhone, iPad, and the web. Check your backlog at the hobby shop and return to your recipes at the painting desk. SHARE YOUR MINIATURES Browse finished-model showcases and friend collections, share your progress, and join the Discord for work-in-progress chat. FREE TO START 100 units, 5 armies, unit paint recipes, 40K and Age of Sigmar list costing, and unlimited desk session logs — no credit card. Custom data export remains available on Free. Upgrade only if you outgrow the free tier. PREMIUM — $2.99/mo or $19.99/yr Unlimited units & armies, WIP timelines, painted gallery, recipe share cards, unlimited batch projects, unlimited friends & public sharing, stash & paints, spending logs, session photos. HERO — $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr Higher-resolution showcase uploads, enhanced showcase sorting, army recipes, advanced stats, challenges & leaderboards, 40K theme, custom names/colors, alternate icons. FORGE# referrals — gift a friend 30 days of Hero. Keep track of your models, remember how you painted them, and choose your next hobby project with Hobby Dataslate. Privacy Policy: https://hobby-dataslate.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://hobby-dataslate.app/terms Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ (Hobby Dataslate is an unofficial fan app and is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Games Workshop Limited.)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Hobby Dataslate at 5.0 against BrushForge's 4.4. Hobby Dataslate also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). BrushForge's advantage is ratings volume (12 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. BrushForge sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Hobby Dataslate sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Hobby Dataslate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BrushForge has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of BrushForge's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hobby Dataslate's.
BrushForge ships an update monthly, Hobby Dataslate every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | BrushForge | Hobby Dataslate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (12 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bastiaan Mahieu | Alexander Lewis |
Customer experience
BrushForge
Hobby Dataslate
In-app purchases
BrushForge
- Premium Monthly2 variants$2.991 Month
- Tip – Small2 variants$1.99
- Tip – Medium2 variants$9.99
- Premium Lifetime2 variants$14.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Tip – Large$17.99
- Tip – Large$19.99
Hobby Dataslate
- Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
- Hero Monthly$4.991 Month
- Premium Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Hero Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Small Tip$0.99
- Tip Medium$4.99
- Large Tip$9.99
Questions
Is BrushForge free?
Is Hobby Dataslate free?
Which has better reviews, BrushForge or Hobby Dataslate?
Do BrushForge or Hobby Dataslate have ads?
Which is updated more often, BrushForge or Hobby Dataslate?
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