Comparison

Papercopy vs Lightbox Trace

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

Head to head
About

Papercopy

Transform your device into a precision tracing tool. Import any image to use as a drawing guide, adjusting its visibility and position to sketch and improve your artistic skills with ease.

Highlights
  • Import images for tracing
  • Adjust brightness and contrast
  • Rotate and position references
  • Customize outline colors
  • Intuitive user interface
Features
Read full description

Turn your phone into a tracing lightbox. Open any image, lock the screen, put paper on top, and draw. Papercopy makes it easy to copy a picture from your screen to paper with a pencil or pen. No printer, no lightbox, no special tools — just your phone or tablet and a sheet of paper. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick an image from your gallery, camera, or the built-in Explore library 2. Zoom, rotate, and move it until it sits exactly where you want 3. Lock the canvas so the screen doesn't shift while you draw 4. Place your paper over the display and trace the lines through it FEATURES - Lock screen – blocks touches so the image stays put under the paper - Precise zoom, rotate and pan – size the image to fit your paper - Brightness and contrast controls – makes lines visible through thicker paper - AI trace-ready images – describe what you want and get a clean outline to trace - Explore – hundreds of ready-made drawings, animals, characters, patterns and lettering - Works on phones and tablets WHO USES PAPERCOPY - Kids learning to draw and parents who want an easy, screen-light activity - Artists and illustrators transferring sketches, references and outlines - Hand-lettering, calligraphy and tattoo stencils - Teachers, crafters, embroidery, woodworking and cake decorating templates - Anyone who wants to copy a photo, logo or drawing to paper quickly Tracing is one of the oldest ways to learn to draw — it trains your hand and eye before you draw freehand. Papercopy just removes the friction. Have a suggestion or a problem? Email us from the app and we'll reply. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://papercopy.web.app/policy

About

Lightbox Trace

Transform your device into a portable tracing pad. Easily trace images, practice sketching, and improve your drawing skills with a digital lightbox and projector. Offers over 300 templates for inspiration and guided practice.

Highlights
  • Digital lightbox for tracing
  • Easy image tracing
  • Drawing projector tools
  • 300+ practice templates
  • Grid projector overlay
  • Convert photos to line art
  • Lock screen while drawing
Features
Read full description

Lightbox Tracing tool is an easy to use drawing and image tracing app that transforms your phone or tablet into a portable lightbox and tracing pad. Whether you want to trace on paper, practice sketching, or improve your pencil drawing skills, the app gives you a simple and accurate way to create artwork anywhere. Use your device like a digital drawing projector to follow outlines, copy images, and sketch with confidence. From beginners learning the basics to experienced artists working on detailed designs, Lightbox Draw helps make drawing more enjoyable, creative, and precise. With powerful image tracing tools and a smooth tracing experience, Lightbox Draw makes it easy to practice daily drawing exercises or work on detailed art projects. The built-in drawing projector and grid projector features help you trace more accurately and improve proportions while drawing. The app includes over 300+ ready-to-use drawing templates for daily practice and creative inspiration. Explore categories like anime, portraits, flowers, animals, tattoos, cartoons, calligraphy, and more. Main Features: ▶ Digital Lightbox Turn your screen into a bright and stable lightbox for tracing and sketching directly on paper. ▶ Easy Image Tracing Import any image from your gallery and start image tracing in just a few seconds with smooth controls and accurate positioning. ▶ Drawing Projector Tools Use your phone or tablet as a simple drawing projector to create outlines, sketches, and detailed artwork with confidence. ▶ 300+ Practice Templates Choose from a large collection of templates designed to help improve drawing techniques, tracing skills, and pencil control. ▶ Grid Projector Overlay Enable an adjustable grid projector for better proportions, positioning, and tracing accuracy while sketching. ▶ Convert Photos to Line Art Transform pictures into clean outlines that are easier to trace and draw using advanced image tracing tools. ▶ Lock Screen While Drawing Keep your image steady while tracing without accidental movement or touch interruptions. ▶ Precision Adjustment Controls Move, resize, rotate, and align images exactly the way you want before you begin. ▶ Smooth Tracing Experience Designed to make tracing on paper feel natural and comfortable for both beginners and experienced artists. How It Works: • Select a template or upload your own image. • Adjust the image to fit your paper and drawing style. • Use the grid projector if needed for extra accuracy. • Lock the screen position. • Place paper over your device. • Trace every detail with your pencil using smooth, PRO-level precision. Great For: • Learning how to draw • Pencil sketch practice • Image tracing and outlining • Tattoo and stencil design • Calligraphy exercises • DIY art and craft projects • Using a digital lightbox for tracing • Artists, students, and hobby creators Lightbox Draw combines the convenience of a tracing pad with powerful lightbox and drawing projector features in one simple app. Whether you are practicing image tracing, creating detailed sketches, or using the grid projector for better accuracy, Lightbox Draw helps you draw naturally and improve your artistic skills at your own pace. Download Lightbox Draw today and start bringing your ideas to life. Privacy Policy - https://lightboxtool.com/#/privacy-policy Terms of Conditions - https://lightboxtool.com/#/terms-of-use Contact - Hej@dybtgodnat.dk

Screenshots

Papercopy4 screens
Lightbox Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lightbox Trace at 4.1 against Papercopy's 2.8. Lightbox Trace also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.2). Papercopy's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 11 days). On price, ratings volume, 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. Papercopy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Lightbox Trace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lightbox Trace holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 7 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Papercopy ships an update every 5 days, Lightbox Trace every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Papercopy versus Lightbox Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPapercopyLightbox Trace
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (4 ratings)4.1 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings47 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.215.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB112 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperMilos MicunovicWebdwarf

Customer experience

Papercopy

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral14.3%
Negative85.7%

Lightbox Trace

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Papercopy

Subscriptions3
  • AI Studio Starter$3.991 Month
  • AI Studio Pro$9.991 Month
  • AI Studio Ultimate$29.991 Month
One-time5
  • 10 Credits$2.49
  • Remove Ads$2.99
  • 30 Credits$4.99
Show 2 more
  • 100 Credits$12.99
  • 500 Credits$49.99
3 purchases

Lightbox Trace

Subscriptions3
  • LightBox Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • LightBox Yearly$39.991 Year
  • LightBox Discount Yearly1 Year trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Papercopy free?
Papercopy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lightbox Trace free?
Lightbox Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Papercopy or Lightbox Trace?
Lightbox Trace is rated higher. Papercopy averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Lightbox Trace averages 4.1 from 7 ratings.
Do Papercopy or Lightbox Trace have ads?
Papercopy shows ads; Lightbox Trace does not.
Which is updated more often, Papercopy or Lightbox Trace?
Papercopy ships an update every 5 days, and Lightbox Trace every 11 days. Most recently, Papercopy was updated on October 25, 2026 and Lightbox Trace on October 24, 2026.

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