YaYDraw vs Tracer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
YaYDraw
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PHOTO AND VIDEO STORAGE Choose a folder on this device, an external drive or a cloud service. Videos record to the selected folder. Keep external drives connected until saving finishes. Changes apply to the next capture. β’ Retry or export pending local captures if saving fails Cloud folders such as iCloud may fail to save or sync due to network conditions. Writing a file does not confirm cloud sync; cloud services may still use device storage. Applies to AR photos and videos. Scan exports keep their existing save location. Turn your iPhone or iPad into a practical drawing companion. YaYDraw helps drawing enthusiasts place a reference image over the live camera view, adjust it to fit the page, keep it locked while drawing, and return to an unfinished artwork after moving the phone. You can also import your own photos, explore built-in references, and scan finished artwork into a clean digital copy. STUDY LIGHT AND SHADOW β’ Switch between the original reference and 2, 3, 5 or 7 grayscale levels β’ Simplify fine details to see the main light and dark shapes β’ Adjust with compact controls while keeping your artwork visible β’ Keep the original reference, position and scale when switching effects DRAW AT A COMFORTABLE ANGLE β’ Position the phone between you and the paper β’ The phone does not need to be perfectly vertical above the canvas β’ Adjust the reference to match the page from your working angle FIT, ADJUST, AND LOCK β’ Move, rotate, and scale the reference image β’ Adjust opacity, brightness, grid, and line-art tools β’ Lock the reference to prevent accidental movement while drawing PAUSE AND CONTINUE LATER β’ Before moving the phone, tap the photo button to save a local recovery point β’ When you return, first align the reference manually with the lines already on the paper β’ If a small difference remains, use Fine-Tune for a final correction β’ Recovery information stays on your device USE YOUR OWN REFERENCES β’ Import from Photos or Files β’ Take a new photo and use it as a drawing reference β’ Browse the built-in reference gallery SCAN FINISHED ARTWORK β’ Capture drawings and paintings directly in the app β’ Detect artwork edges and correct perspective β’ Crop the surrounding background β’ Choose from 15 frame styles, including 5 without the YaYDraw logo, or keep the scan unframed. β’ Add an optional personal signature, created in Settings by drawing or importing one β’ Adjust the signatureβs position, size, and angle before saving β’ Save a framed image and optionally save the original corrected scan to Photos SUBSCRIPTION YaYDraw requires an auto-renewable subscription after the introductory trial. Monthly and yearly options unlock all app features. Payment is charged to your Apple ID after confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID subscription settings. Privacy Policy: https://yaydraw.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://yaydraw.app/terms
Tracer
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Tracer turns your iPhone into a tracing tool. Pick any image, anchor it onto a real surface in augmented reality, and trace over it by hand β on paper, on canvas, or on a wall. No projector. No light box. No printing and taping. Your first 5 images are free. After that, Tracer unlocks with a Tracer Yearly subscription β $9.99/year, auto-renewing, cancel anytime in Settings. HOW IT WORKS Point your iPhone at the surface you want to draw on. Pick a reference image from your photos. Tap the surface to anchor it in place. The image stays locked to that exact spot in the real world while you draw. DIAL IN THE OPACITY Slide from barely-there to fully opaque. Keep it faint to check your proportions, or bring it up to follow every line. You see exactly what you're tracing, and exactly what you've already drawn. POSITION IT EXACTLY Pinch to scale, twist to rotate, drag to move. Once it's where you want it, lock it β your hand can rest on the phone without knocking the reference out of alignment. BUILT FOR LONG SESSIONS The screen stays awake while you trace, so it won't sleep mid-drawing. Close the app and come back later: Tracer remembers your reference, its position and your opacity setting, and puts everything back where you left it. Working in low light? There's a built-in flashlight. MADE FOR β’ Illustrators working from reference β’ Tattoo artists placing a stencil β’ Muralists scaling a design up to a wall β’ Lettering and calligraphy β’ Anyone learning to draw PRIVACY Tracer has no servers, no analytics, no accounts and no ads. The camera feed is processed on your device and never recorded. Your reference image never leaves your iPhone. Tracer doesn't even ask for photo library permission β it uses Apple's system picker, which hands over only the single image you choose. Requires an ARKit-capable iPhone running iOS 16 or later. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tracer-privacy.vercel.app
Screenshots
Verdict
YaYDraw and Tracer are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters β price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them β neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. YaYDraw sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Tracer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | YaYDraw | Tracer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly | β |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Zentura Labs LLC | Facundo De Lima |
In-app purchases
YaYDraw
- YaYDraw Premium Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- YaYDraw Premium Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year
Tracer
- Tracer Yearly$9.991 Year









