Comparison

Lightbox Trace vs Studio Grid

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

Head to head
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

About

Studio Grid

Features
Read full description

Studio Grid lays a grid over your reference photograph, matched to the paper on your desk, A5, A4, A3 or a size of your own, so every square on screen is a square you can rule. Your first three drawings include every tool, and you keep them for good. After that the grid, paper sizes and numbering stay free for as many drawings as you like, and a single payment unlocks Studio Grid Pro for life. No subscription, no ads, no account. WHY IT IS DIFFERENT Most grid apps put squares over a photo and stop there. Studio Grid starts from your paper. Tell it what you are drawing on and it works out the grid that actually fits, in whole squares if you want no awkward partial row along the edge. THE GRID - Squares across, set by you - Ink that picks itself to suit the photograph, six preset colors, or any color you like - Line thickness and opacity, so the grid sits under the image instead of shouting over it - Diagonals through every square, for placing an angle or a curve exactly - Subtle numbering on all four edges, so you can always name the square you are in SEEING IT BEFORE YOU DRAW IT - Black and white, to judge tone without color arguing with you - Three, five or seven value bands, so the shapes of the tones become obvious - Skin warmth, which lifts warm skin off a cool background that plain gray flattens DRAWING FROM IT - Drawing view puts the reference full screen with the numbers pinned to the edges, and zooms to 6x for detail, without ever moving your crop - Save the gridded reference to Photos, or share it to print or AirDrop at full resolution MADE BY SOMEONE WHO USES IT I am a pencil portrait artist. I built this because the grid apps I tried were built for phones rather than for paper, and because I wanted the reference to stop shifting every time I touched the screen. Everything in here earns its place in my own drawings first. YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS STAY YOURS No account. No sign up. No analytics. Nothing is collected and nothing leaves your device. Your original photograph is never altered: the grid is an overlay, and exporting writes a new image. STUDIO GRID PRO One payment, for good, including future updates. It unlocks diagonals, drawing view, saving and sharing, value bands, skin warmth and any grid color. Family Sharing is on, so your household is covered by the one payment. Your first three drawings keep every tool whether you buy Pro or not. Nothing you have been given is ever taken away.

Screenshots

Lightbox Trace4 screens
Studio Grid4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Studio Grid at every 5 days against Lightbox Trace's every 11 days. Lightbox Trace's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). 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. Lightbox Trace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Studio Grid sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightbox Trace ships an update every 11 days, Studio Grid every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Lightbox Trace versus Studio Grid: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightbox TraceStudio Grid
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (7 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size112 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWebdwarfPAUL DAVIES

In-app purchases

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
1 purchases

Studio Grid

One-time1
  • Studio Grid Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Lightbox Trace free?
Lightbox Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Studio Grid free?
Studio Grid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Lightbox Trace or Studio Grid have ads?
Neither Lightbox Trace nor Studio Grid shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightbox Trace or Studio Grid?
Lightbox Trace ships an update every 11 days, and Studio Grid every 5 days. Most recently, Lightbox Trace was updated on October 24, 2026 and Studio Grid on October 24, 2026.

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