# PainterTool vs Hongyun Art

The clearest difference is price: Hongyun Art at Free against PainterTool's $0.99. Hongyun Art also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ratings volume, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Hongyun Art is free to download; PainterTool costs $0.99 up front. PainterTool sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per 3 months. Hongyun Art asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hongyun Art holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively.

PainterTool ships an update every 3 weeks, Hongyun Art every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PainterTool | Hongyun Art |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintertool/id882011219/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hongyun-art/id6786781786/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 39 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Demagic AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/544199236) | [Hongyun Art](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896314718) |

## What reviewers say

### PainterTool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintertool/id882011219)

This app helps artists of all levels improve their drawing skills by comparing their work to reference photos. It offers tools like customizable grids and transparent overlays to assist with proportions, colors, and shading throughout the creative process.

**Highlights:** Reference photo comparison, Customizable grid overlay, Transparent overlay, Real-time color and shading comparison, Progress video creation, Automatic photo saving

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PainterTool | $1.99 | per 3 months |


### Hongyun Art

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hongyun-art/id6786781786)

This app allows enrolled students and their families to manage their art program participation. Features include viewing schedules, scheduling makeup sessions, uploading artwork, and tracking progress towards awards. It also provides school announcements and reminders.

**Highlights:** View class schedule, Schedule makeup sessions, Upload and share artwork, Organize AP Art portfolios, Track Congressional Award progress, Receive school announcements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PainterTool free?

PainterTool costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Hongyun Art free?

Hongyun Art is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PainterTool or Hongyun Art?

Hongyun Art is rated higher. PainterTool averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Hongyun Art averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do PainterTool or Hongyun Art have ads?

PainterTool shows ads; Hongyun Art does not.

### Which is updated more often, PainterTool or Hongyun Art?

PainterTool ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hongyun Art every 2 weeks. Most recently, PainterTool was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hongyun Art on November 10, 2026.

---

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