PadPad vs BrainDots Kolam studio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
PadPad
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Turn your iPad and Apple Pencil into a pen tablet for your Mac or Windows PC. PadPad shows your computer's screen on your iPad and sends every Pencil stroke back as real pen input ā pressure, tilt and a true eraser ā so desktop apps like Krita, Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint respond just as they do to a pen tablet. Handwrite notes, mark up slides, or sign a PDF that never leaves your computer. DRAW ⢠Apple Pencil pressure, tilt and eraser in tablet-aware desktop apps ⢠Hover and barrel roll on supported iPads and Pencils ⢠Shape your pressure curve and smoothing ⢠Stream a whole display, one app, one window or an area ā fitted to your iPad ⢠Pinch, pan and rotate with two fingers, sent to your drawing app MAC AND WINDOWS ⢠The PadMac (macOS 15+) and PadWin (Windows 10 or 11, beta) apps run on your computer ⢠PadPad shows the right keys for each: ā ā„ ā§ ā on a Mac, Ctrl, Alt, Shift and Win on a PC ⢠Quick Keys and gestures for each desktop app WRITE AND SIGN Handwrite equations and class notes, annotate a document or add a signature without moving the file to your iPad. On iPhone, draw with your finger for quick signatures. CONNECTS DIRECTLY PadPad connects straight to your computer over Wi-Fi or a USB-C cable. No account, and your work is not uploaded to a PadPad cloud service. WHAT YOU NEED ⢠An iPad or iPhone on iOS 18 or later ⢠A Mac with PadMac, or a Windows PC with PadWin ā from codonic.dev/apps/pad Capabilities depend on your iPad, Pencil and desktop app.
BrainDots Kolam studio
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Braindots Advanced Illustrator is a drawing studio built for kolam, rangoli and mandala art. Place a dot grid, draw with smooth curves, and build perfectly symmetric patterns on your iPhone or iPad. DOT GRIDS, THE KOLAM WAY ⢠Square, diagonal, interlaced and ruled dot grids, from 3Ć3 up ⢠Start with a clean canvas and add the grid only when you want it ⢠Guides for scale and spacing, with snapping while you edit DRAW YOUR WAY ⢠Brush, Pen and smooth Curve tools, with independent width control ⢠Edit points: move anchors, pull handles, curve or sharpen corners ⢠Expand the width at any point of a stroke, like an illustrator's width tool ⢠Shapes, layers, colors, fills and outlines that always stay visible MANDALA AND SYMMETRY ⢠Radial mandala guides with up to 24 segments and multiple rings ⢠Live mirror: every stroke repeats around the circle as you draw PRACTICE MODE ⢠Trace ready-made kolam designs over their dot grids ⢠3Ć3, 4Ć4 and 5Ć5 collections, with new designs added online ⢠Save your progress and come back to it EXPORT AND SHARE ⢠Save as SVG, PNG or JPG ⢠Export a video that replays your drawing stroke by stroke ⢠Save any drawing as an editable design and keep a gallery on your device PRIVACY ⢠No account or sign-in required ⢠No ads and no tracking ⢠Your drawings stay on your device FREE TRIAL AND SUBSCRIPTION Use the app free for 30 days. After the trial, an optional monthly subscription (Braindots Advanced Illustrator Monthly) unlocks Practice, Pen, Curve, colors and export. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically each month unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it any time in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://braindots.in/kolam-studio-privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PadPad at none against BrainDots Kolam studio's 1. BrainDots Kolam studio's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. BrainDots Kolam studio sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. PadPad asks for nothing beyond the download.
PadPad ships an update fortnightly, BrainDots Kolam studio every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PadPad | BrainDots Kolam studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 10 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No ā better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod ā better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BlueGuru LLC | Sumitradevi Rajamanikandan |
In-app purchases
PadPad
No in-app purchases
BrainDots Kolam studio
- Advanced Illustrator Monthly$9.991 Month
Questions
Is PadPad free?
Is BrainDots Kolam studio free?
Do PadPad or BrainDots Kolam studio have ads?
Which is updated more often, PadPad or BrainDots Kolam studio?
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