Comparison

Mix Paint vs Muddy Waters

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

Head to head
About

Mix Paint

This app assists artists in precisely mixing paint colors. It features a visual and photo-based color picker, an intelligent recipe generator for exact mixing ratios, and the ability to create and save custom palettes and recipes.

Highlights
  • Visual Color Picker
  • Photo Color Picker
  • Intelligent Recipe Generator
  • Custom Palettes
  • Save Recipes
  • Intuitive Interface
Features
Read full description

Mix Paint is a paint mixing companion that helps artists mix paint colors with precision. Features: • Visual Color Picker Select any color you want to match using intuitive hue and lightness controls. • Photo Color Picker Upload a photo and match a color directly from the image. • Intelligent Recipe Generator Get exact mixing ratios using colors from your palette. Our advanced algorithm calculates the optimal ratios of paint to achieve your desired color. • Create colors Explore and create color mixes by adjusting ratios of paints in your palette. • Custom Palettes Work with your actual paint colors. Create custom palettes that match the paints you have on hand, ensuring accurate mixing guidance. • Save Your Recipes Never lose a perfect color mix again. Save unlimited recipes for easy reference. • Clean, Intuitive Interface Focus on your art, not learning complicated software. Mix Paint's simple design gets out of your way and lets you create. How it works: 1. Choose a target color using the visual picker 2. Get a mixing recipe using colors from your palette 3. See the exact proportions needed for each paint 4. Save recipes for future reference Perfect for: • Oil painters • Acrylic artists • Watercolor enthusiasts • Art students • Professional artists Start mixing with confidence. Download Mix Paint today. © 2026 Gina Heidel. All rights reserved.

About

Muddy Waters

Features
Read full description

Muddy Waters helps you mix watercolor paints using real pigment behaviour, not digital approximations. Many artists reach a point where color mixing becomes frustrating. You add more paint, adjust ratios, and still end up with muddy results. This app is designed to give you a clearer path forward. Using scientific colour values and high end math, Muddy Waters focuses on how watercolor actually behaves, helping you make better mixing decisions using YOUR paints before committing pigment to paper. Key features • Mix colors using your own palette, not generic examples • Explore how pigments combine, including non-linear behaviour • Generate gradients to understand transitions between colors • Match colors from images and find the closest achievable mix • Identify the closest matching pigment in the library • Save favourites for the next time you go shopping for art supplies Images and barcodes are processed on your device. No photos are uploaded or stored externally. No personal data collected. Designed for real painting decisions Watercolour mixing is not predictable or linear. Lighting, dilution, paper colour, and pigment behaviour all affect the result. This app helps you navigate those variables so you can start with the right base colours. Use your own paints Build your palette from the pigments you actually own. The app works with your materials, not an idealised set from a book or tutorial. Simple and focused No accounts, no distractions. The app is designed to support your painting process without getting in the way. Keep exploring Nothing replaces hands-on experimentation, but with better guidance you can avoid common mixing mistakes and make more confident choices. Muddy Waters is free to use with an 8-slot palette. Two optional upgrades unlock more: Premium (one-time purchase) — unlocks palettes to hold any number of paints, in-app camera capture, and Backup & Restore so your palettes, favourites and Shopping List stay safe across devices. Pro (monthly subscription) — adds the Palette Adviser (tells you which paints to swap for a stronger palette), the Light & Shadow engine, Paint Check (compare any paint against everything you already own before you buy), and unlimited palettes.

Screenshots

Mix Paint4 screens
Muddy Waters4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mix Paint at none against Muddy Waters's 3. On price, update cadence, ads 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. Muddy Waters sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Mix Paint asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mix Paint ships an update every 3 days, Muddy Waters every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Mix Paint versus Muddy Waters: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMix PaintMuddy Waters
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGINA JAY HEIDELSTUART JOHN FRENCH

In-app purchases

None

Mix Paint

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Muddy Waters

Subscriptions2
  • Muddy Waters Pro Monthly3 Months trial$1.991 Month
  • Muddy Waters Pro Annual$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • Muddy Waters Premium$5.99

Questions

Is Mix Paint free?
Mix Paint is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Muddy Waters free?
Muddy Waters is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Mix Paint or Muddy Waters have ads?
Neither Mix Paint nor Muddy Waters shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mix Paint or Muddy Waters?
Mix Paint ships an update every 3 days, and Muddy Waters every 5 days. Most recently, Mix Paint was updated on October 31, 2026 and Muddy Waters on October 31, 2026.

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