Comparison

PaintBox Basic vs AR Ruler

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

Head to head
About

PaintBox Basic

This is a basic paint application offering various brushes and auto-save functionality. Users can easily share their creations via email or social media platforms. It includes banner ads and lacks advanced features like undo/redo.

Highlights
  • 8 types of brushes
  • Auto save image
  • Transfer to Mac via iTunes file sharing
  • Share images via email, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr
  • Banner ads displayed
Read full description

PaintBox Basic is paint software. -8 type of brushes. -Auto save image. -The transfer of the image to your Mac iTune file sharing. -Share of image send the image email, twitter, Facebook, Flickr etc. What is different from the Pro version -Banner AD is displayed on the screen. -There is no Undo Redo function. -It is impossible to create and edit color palette.

About

AR Ruler

Features
Read full description

Stop guessing sizes and remeasuring by hand. Check distance, area, height, angle, and level right where you stand, then save or share the result in seconds. KEY TOOLS Measure spacing with Distance mode for quick point-to-point checks. Trace walls, counters, or edges with Polyline mode to total multiple segments in one measurement. Outline a surface with Area mode to calculate floor space, tabletops, or wall sections. Check corners and slopes with Angle mode. Measure vertical height from the floor to a point with Height mode. Use Level mode for a live bubble level while you align frames, shelves, or furniture. Pick haptic feedback Off, Light, or Medium when a point lands on a surface. Long-press the main reading to copy the measurement in meters, centimeters, feet and inches, and inches. Share a measurement snapshot, save the image to your Photos, or export a PDF. Save measurements to History with a preview image, then find them again from search on your phone. Reopen a saved measurement in the camera view later with Reopen in AR. Start a measurement or show your last measurement with a voice shortcut. Switch modes safely with a confirmation if you already placed points, and bring back a cleared measurement with Undo Clear. PERFECT WHEN Use Distance mode when you want to know if a sofa, table, or rug will fit before you move it. Use Polyline mode to follow a baseboard, countertop edge, or fence line without adding up sections yourself. Use Area mode when planning paint, flooring, or furniture layout for a room. Use Height mode to check a doorway, plant, shelf space, or wall feature from floor level. Use Level mode while hanging art, straightening a frame, or lining up a shelf. Use Angle mode when comparing corners, slopes, or tilt. THE DIFFERENCE AR Ruler: Distance & Area helps you measure real spaces with your camera and keep the results organized. It combines six measurement modes in one place, so you can go from a quick distance check to an area estimate, an angle reading, a height measurement, or a bubble level without changing apps. Saved measurements are easy to revisit. History keeps a preview image, search on your phone can bring you back to a past result, and Reopen in AR lets you return to certain saved measurements in the same space later. If camera access is off, the app shows a clear path to Settings so you can get back to measuring. PAID FEATURES Pro adds Height mode, Level mode, PDF export, and the ability to reopen supported saved measurements in the camera view later. Free use includes core measuring tools, while Polyline and Area measurements are limited to 8 points each before Pro is required. You can also watch an ad to get one PDF export for 24 hours. Camera access is required to place measurement points in your space. Photo access is only used when you choose to save an image. Try AR Ruler: Distance & Area the next time you need a tape measure, area calculator, angle finder, height checker, or level in your pocket. Terms of Use (EULA) - http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/appstore/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

PaintBox Basic3 screens
AR Ruler4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PaintBox Basic at none against AR Ruler's 10. PaintBox Basic also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). AR Ruler's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AR Ruler sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. PaintBox Basic asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PaintBox Basic ships an update every 7 months, AR Ruler every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PaintBox Basic versus AR Ruler: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPaintBox BasicAR Ruler
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKouichi HayashiSandeep Bhandari

In-app purchases

None

PaintBox Basic

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

AR Ruler

Subscriptions8
  • Weekly Subscription$1.997 Days
  • AR Ruler Pro — Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Yearly Subscription Discount7 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription Sale$14.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription Special$19.991 Year
  • AR Ruler Pro — Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription1 Year trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Forever Pro Discount$79.99
  • Pro Unlock: Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is PaintBox Basic free?
PaintBox Basic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AR Ruler free?
AR Ruler is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PaintBox Basic or AR Ruler have ads?
Both PaintBox Basic and AR Ruler show ads.
Which is updated more often, PaintBox Basic or AR Ruler?
PaintBox Basic ships an update every 7 months, and AR Ruler every 2 months. Most recently, PaintBox Basic was updated on October 11, 2026 and AR Ruler on October 7, 2026.

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