Stenci Ink vs StencilStudio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Stenci Ink
This app transforms photos into professional tattoo stencils with advanced editing and real-time AR projection onto skin. It offers tools for color planning, mixing, and precise real-size printing, streamlining the entire tattoo design process.
- Real-time AR projection onto skin
- Automatic and manual stencil creation
- Layered stencil editor
- Image enhancement tools
- Smart color palette and mixing
- Real-size printing across multiple sheets
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Stencil Ink is the professional tattoo stencil app, designed for tattoo artists who want precision, control and speed throughout the entire process: from an image to a tattoo design ready to print, transfer and tattoo. Turn any photo or reference into a clean stencil in seconds. Edit lines, fine-tune details, plan colors, project the stencil onto the skin in real time and print at real size, all from a single app. More than a stencil generator: a complete tattoo design system to understand, prepare and execute every design. AR PROJECTION ONTO THE SKIN Preview any stencil on your client's skin before tattooing. - Use the iPhone camera to project the design in real time - Check size, position and composition on the body - Draw directly onto the skin with no thermal copier or tracing paper needed - Ideal for quick sessions, touch-ups or previews with the client STENCIL CREATION Generate clean, ready-to-use stencils in seconds. - Automatic mode for fast results - Manual mode to adjust the stencil and pull out more detail when you need it (more control, a more organic result) - Pro models for cleaner, more precise and consistent results LAYERED STENCIL EDITOR Edit any stencil directly in the app. - Draw on top of your stencil - Fix lines and add details - Overlay mode to compare your stencil directly against the original image - Adapt the design to your style Perfect your stencil before tattooing or drawing. IMAGE ENHANCEMENT Prepare your images before turning them into stencils. - More definition - Better readability - More accurate results SMART COLOR PALETTE Understand color like never before. - Automatically detects the main colors - View by zones or blocks - Plan your work more efficiently COLOR MIXING SYSTEM Total control over color. - Exact percentages - Drop-by-drop measurements - Adapted to real tattoo cups Achieve consistent, repeatable tones. BLACK AND GREY CONTROL A visual system based on 5 levels: - Pure black - Deep shadows - Midtones - Highlights - White Perfect for realism and shading. CREATIVE STYLES Transform your images with different styles. - 6 unique styles - Includes a step-by-step drawing guide REAL-SIZE PRINTING ACROSS MULTIPLE SHEETS Print tattoos of any size with full precision. - Real-size preview before printing - Split large designs across multiple sheets: back, arm, side, leg - Choose your format: a single sheet or multi-sheet grids (portrait or landscape) - Sheets fit together perfectly, without losing any part of the design - Print, join the sheets and it's ready to transfer Stencil Ink is designed to save you time, improve precision and help you take a tattoo design from image to a professional final result. Terms of Use (EULA): https://stencilink.github.io/terms-of-use/ Privacy Policy: https://stencilink.github.io/privacy-policy/
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: StencilStudio at none against Stenci Ink's shown. StencilStudio also leads on ratings volume (452 vs 13) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 8 days). Stenci Ink's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Stenci Ink sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days 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.
Stenci Ink holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StencilStudio has 452 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Stenci Ink's written reviews are positive against 93% of StencilStudio's.
Stenci Ink ships an update every 8 days, StencilStudio every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Stenci Ink | StencilStudio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (13 ratings) — better | 4.8 (452 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 92.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 452 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 160 MB | 106 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Matias Torres Alegre | Andrea Mezzadra |
Customer experience
Stenci Ink
StencilStudio
In-app purchases
Stenci Ink
- Stencil Ink Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
- Stencil Ink Pro Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Stencil Ink Pro Annual3 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Ink Credits (500)$4.99
- Ink Credits (1100)$9.99
- Ink Credits (1800)$14.99
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- Ink Credits (3200)$19.99
StencilStudio
- Professional$9.991 Month
- Pro Artist$14.991 Month
- Studio$29.991 Month
- 100 Credits$4.99
- 500 Credits$14.99
- 1000 Credits$24.99
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- 5000 Credits$99.99
Questions
Is Stenci Ink free?
Is StencilStudio free?
Which has better reviews, Stenci Ink or StencilStudio?
Do Stenci Ink or StencilStudio have ads?
Which is updated more often, Stenci Ink or StencilStudio?
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