Comparison

Muddy Waters vs Mixable

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

Head to head
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.

About

Mixable

This app helps artists mix custom paint colors using the paints they already own. It provides precise mixing ratios for watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints, with options to pick target colors from photos or a color wheel.

Highlights
  • Build custom paint palettes
  • Mix colors from owned paints
  • Precise mixing ratios
  • Target color selection (camera, photo, color wheel)
  • Support for watercolor, acrylic, oil
  • Browse paints by pigment code
Read full description

Mix any color from the paints you actually own. Mixable is a paint mixing guide built for artists who work with watercolor, acrylic, or oil. Pick any target color — from your camera, a photo, or a color wheel — and Mixable calculates the best possible match using only the paints in your palette, with exact ratios. How it works: • Build your palette by selecting the paints you own from real product lines • Choose a target color using your camera, photo library, or color picker • Get a precise mixing recipe with exact ratios from your paints • See how close the match is with a side-by-side comparison and Delta E accuracy score Real brands, real pigments: Mixable includes paints from Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Golden, Gamblin, Liquitex, Van Gogh, and more — each mapped to its actual pigment composition. The mixing engine uses Kubelka-Munk color theory to predict how pigments blend, the same science used in paint manufacturing. Browse by pigment: Explore paints organized by their Color Index pigment codes. See which paints across different brands share the same pigments — and understand what's actually inside your tubes. Features: • 2-paint and 3-paint mixing recipes • Pick a target color from camera, photo, or color wheel • Support for watercolor, acrylic, and oil • Mixing tips tailored to each recipe • Save and revisit your favorite recipes • Browse paints by brand or by pigment code Try Pro for 7 days: Every new install includes 7 days of Mixable Pro with no payment required and no commitment — unlimited palette size, unlimited 3-paint mixing, unlimited saved recipes, and a starter palette so you can begin mixing right away. Free tier: After your trial, continue free with a palette of up to 10 paints, unlimited 2-paint mixing recipes, and 3 free 3-paint mixes per day — no account required. Mixable Pro — $2.99/month, $29.99/year, or $69.99 once for lifetime access: Unlock unlimited palette size, unlimited 3-paint mixing, and unlimited saved recipes. Brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Mixable is not affiliated with or endorsed by any paint manufacturer. Privacy Policy: https://salvabar.github.io/mixable-support/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://salvabar.github.io/mixable-support/terms

Screenshots

Muddy Waters4 screens
Mixable4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Muddy Waters at every 5 days against Mixable's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, 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. Muddy Waters sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Mixable sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Muddy Waters ships an update every 5 days, Mixable every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Muddy Waters versus Mixable: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMuddy WatersMixable
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.9 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—14 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSTUART JOHN FRENCHSalvatore Barone

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
3 purchases

Mixable

Subscriptions2
  • Mixable Pro$2.991 Month
  • Mixable Pro$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Mixable Pro Lifetime$69.99

Questions

Is Muddy Waters free?
Muddy Waters is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mixable free?
Mixable is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Muddy Waters or Mixable have ads?
Neither Muddy Waters nor Mixable shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Muddy Waters or Mixable?
Muddy Waters ships an update every 5 days, and Mixable every 3 weeks. Most recently, Muddy Waters was updated on October 31, 2026 and Mixable on October 28, 2026.

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