# Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + vs Artistic String

The clearest difference is rating: Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + at 4.5 against Artistic String's 1.0. Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and ratings volume (15K vs 1). Artistic String's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Artistic String sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + has 15K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Pencil Sketch Photo Editor +'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Artistic String's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + | Artistic String |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-sketch-photo-editor-plus/id680134923/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artistic-string-string-art/id6444849887/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **25.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tue Nguyen Minh](https://appshunter.io/developer/434811167) | [Kiem Pham Dinh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1657129722) |

## What reviewers say

### Pencil Sketch Photo Editor +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-sketch-photo-editor-plus/id680134923)

Transform your photos into stunning pencil and ink sketches with live camera previews. Easily adjust effects and share your artistic creations directly to social media platforms.

**Highlights:** Ink and Pencil effects, Live camera preview, Adjustable effects, In-app camera, Social media sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pencil Sketch Pro Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Pencil Sketch Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pencil Sketch Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro Features | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and efficient
- 💡 Useful line drawing features
- 👍 Convenient for portrait artists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires premium subscription to remove watermark
- 🐛 Saving issues and errors
- 👎 Poor sketch quality
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🚫 Limited functionality without premium

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save sketches
- Restoration of purchases not working
- Crashes and errors

**Requested features**

- HD sketch feature
- Apple Pencil support
- More editing options


### Artistic String

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artistic-string-string-art/id6444849887)

Design intricate string art with monochrome and multicolor drawing modes. This app offers a unique way to create visual art using virtual threads. Explore your creativity with a simple yet powerful interface.

**Highlights:** String art creation, Monochrome drawing mode, Multicolor drawing mode, Unique thread art designs, Intuitive interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + free?

Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Artistic String free?

Artistic String is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + or Artistic String?

Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + is rated higher. Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Artistic String averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + or Artistic String have ads?

Neither Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + nor Artistic String shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + or Artistic String?

Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + ships an update every 2 months, and Artistic String every 2 months. Most recently, Pencil Sketch Photo Editor + was updated on November 4, 2026 and Artistic String on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*