Comparison

Drawing Projector Lite vs TraceBeam

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

Head to head
About

Drawing Projector Lite

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Drawing Projector Lite turns your phone into a simple AR projector that overlays any reference image onto your canvas, paper or sketchbook so you can trace and sketch without grids, tracing paper or hours of measuring. Made for people who just want it to work: • Simple: pick an image, draw markers or print QR-codes, point your camera, start drawing. • Lightweight: fast to open, easy to use, no clutter. • One-time purchase: pay once, use forever. No subscriptions. No ads. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Project any photo from your library onto your canvas. • Rotate, scale and lock the overlay to fit perfectly. • Use optional marker drawing or QR markers for an extra-stable projection. PERFECT FOR • Artists tracing reference photos onto canvas. • Hobby artists doing portraits, pet art, lettering and more. • Beginners who want to skip the gridding step. WHY DRAWING PROJECTOR LITE We built the version we wished existed: no monthly fee, no upsell walls, no AI gimmick: just a focused AR tool that does one thing well.

About

TraceBeam

Features
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TraceBeam is a tracing and drawing app that helps you draw on real-world surfaces using a live camera view and Trace Images. Choose Single Device for a simple setup, or use Dual Device to separate the camera and drawing experience across two devices. With Dual Device, one device acts as the Camera Device while another acts as the Drawing Device, making it easier to work on large canvases, walls, boards, and other hard-to-reach surfaces. Single Device: Use one device as the camera, Trace Image display, and drawing setup. Position the device above your drawing surface, select a Trace Image, align it with the camera view, and start tracing. Dual Device: Most AR drawing apps use a single device, which becomes difficult when drawing on large or hard-to-reach surfaces. TraceBeam solves this by separating the camera and drawing experience across two devices. Use two devices for a more flexible drawing setup. The Camera Device captures and streams the live canvas view, while the Drawing Device displays the live view with your Trace Image overlaid on the real surface. Key Features: • Single-device tracing mode • Dual-device live drawing workflow • Live camera canvas preview • Overlay and trace reference images • Adjust opacity for comfortable tracing • Move, zoom and rotate using gestures • Perspective adjustment for better alignment • Fullscreen drawing mode • Save settings and reuse them later • Designed for large and hard-to-reach surfaces • Clean and distraction-free interface How TraceBeam Works: Single Device • Start Single Device mode • Position your device facing the drawing surface • Select and align the Trace Image • Adjust opacity and other settings • Start tracing and drawing Dual Device • Choose the Camera Device and Drawing Device • Connect the two devices • View your Live Canvas • Align the Trace Image • Adjust perspective and opacity if needed • Start tracing and drawing TraceBeam is designed for beginners, hobby artists, students, and anyone who wants a more practical way to trace and draw on real surfaces. Draw bigger. Align better. Trace with confidence. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Drawing Projector Lite4 screens
TraceBeam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Drawing Projector Lite at none against TraceBeam's 2. Drawing Projector Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. TraceBeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Drawing Projector Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Drawing Projector Lite ships an update every 2 weeks, TraceBeam every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
Drawing Projector Lite versus TraceBeam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDrawing Projector LiteTraceBeam
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJustinus Laurentius van den BergShajir Kalady

In-app purchases

None

Drawing Projector Lite

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

TraceBeam

Subscriptions2
  • TraceBeam Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • TraceBeam Pro Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Drawing Projector Lite free?
Drawing Projector Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TraceBeam free?
TraceBeam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Drawing Projector Lite or TraceBeam have ads?
TraceBeam shows ads; Drawing Projector Lite does not.
Which is updated more often, Drawing Projector Lite or TraceBeam?
Drawing Projector Lite ships an update every 2 weeks, and TraceBeam every 2 months. Most recently, Drawing Projector Lite was updated on October 21, 2026 and TraceBeam on October 5, 2026.

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