Comparison

TraceOverlay vs PaperTrace Light Table

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

Head to head
About

TraceOverlay

Features
Read full description

Trace images onto paper with the camera you already carry. TraceOverlay places a reference over your live camera view, turning your iPhone or iPad into a practical tracing lightbox for drawing, painting, lettering, murals, and art study. TRY THE INCLUDED DEMO TraceOverlay includes a Mona Lisa tracing demo so you can use the live camera and every precision tool without an account or purchase. TRACE WITH PRECISION β€’ Move, scale, and rotate the reference over your drawing surface β€’ Adjust image and camera opacity independently β€’ Lock the layout to prevent accidental movement β€’ Use the alignment grid to check proportions β€’ Mirror a reference when needed β€’ Hide the controls for a clean tracing view FIND THE LINES THAT MATTER Use edge detection, grayscale, contrast, brightness, saturation, and invert controls to create a clearer guide. UPGRADE FOR YOUR OWN REFERENCES The optional one-time Unlock upgrade adds personal photo import and a private on-device reference shelf. It is not a subscription and does not renew. The App Store shows the localized price before purchase. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Camera frames and selected reference images are processed on your device and are not uploaded to TraceOverlay. No TraceOverlay account is required. MADE FOR CREATIVE WORK TraceOverlay is designed for artists, illustrators, lettering practitioners, muralists, art students, and hobbyists who want a portable tracing aid without extra projection hardware. Open the included demo, frame your paper, and start tracing.

About

PaperTrace Light Table

Features
Read full description

PaperTrace turns your iPhone or iPad into a light table. Pick a template or a photo, put a sheet on the screen, and trace. How to trace Pick a template, a photo from your library, or take a picture. Place a sheet on the screen, then tap Lock. The picture stays still, and the screen stays in that orientation. Press + or βˆ’ two times on the side of the phone to open. You can also hold a corner. That works with paper still on the glass. PaperTrace remembers your last pictures. Save a drawing to keep it in History. For kids In iOS Settings, turn on Guided Access and turn Touch off. That stops the screen from reacting at all. Templates Twenty simple line drawings: animals, vehicles, nature, fantasy, and fun. Ready to trace in pencil. Your own pictures Choose from the photo library or photograph a drawing you want to trace. Brightness, contrast, outline, and invert help the picture show through the paper. Light table A blank white screen at full brightness when you only need the light. History Recent pictures stay ready. Save the ones you want to come back to. PaperTrace is free. No account, no cloud. Pictures stay on the phone.

Screenshots

TraceOverlay4 screens
PaperTrace Light Table4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PaperTrace Light Table at none against TraceOverlay's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

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

Both are free to download. TraceOverlay sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PaperTrace Light Table asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TraceOverlay ships an update every 4 days, PaperTrace Light Table every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
TraceOverlay versus PaperTrace Light Table: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTraceOverlayPaperTrace Light Table
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 β€” better18.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size10 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThoughtBubble Development, LLCMichael FurΓΈ

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TraceOverlay

One-time1
  • Unlock$6.99
None

PaperTrace Light Table

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TraceOverlay free?
TraceOverlay is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PaperTrace Light Table free?
PaperTrace Light Table is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TraceOverlay or PaperTrace Light Table have ads?
Neither TraceOverlay nor PaperTrace Light Table shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TraceOverlay or PaperTrace Light Table?
TraceOverlay ships an update every 4 days, and PaperTrace Light Table every 2 days. Most recently, TraceOverlay was updated on October 9, 2026 and PaperTrace Light Table on October 6, 2026.

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