Comparison

Sketch vs Hippo

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

Head to head
About

Sketch

Create drawings and sketches directly on your device. Offers a wide range of colors, adjustable brush thickness, and transparency options for detailed artwork. Compatible across Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Minimalist interface
  • 16 million+ color selection
  • Adjustable brush thickness
  • Color transparency
  • Cross-device compatibility
Features
Read full description

Sketch Notes is a simple application that allows you to draw on the device. Several functions available : - Look minimal - Choose more than 16 million colors with RGB selection - Choose the thickness of the brush - Added the color transparency - Compatible with iPhone, iPad and Mac

About

Hippo

This app helps you remember important details about your contacts. You can jot down notes, track events, and set reminders to stay connected and informed about people in your life. Your data is securely stored on your device.

Highlights
  • Contact notes
  • Event tracking
  • Custom reminders
  • Secure on-device storage
  • No contact access required
  • iCloud Drive backup
Features
Read full description

Remember everything about your friends, family, and colleagues with Hippo — your personal CRM. Take notes, track events, set reminders, and see how the people in your life are connected. The next time you meet, a quick glance at their profile is all you need to remember the details. NOTES • Quickly jot down what you learn about your contacts. • Names of kids, a new job, a promotion, holiday plans, gift ideas. EVENTS • Create events for meetings or important life moments. • Get reminded so you can ask about it next time. • Quickly import events from your calendar app into Hippo RELATIONSHIPS • Link contacts to each other — partners, siblings, colleagues, mentors, and more. • See at a glance how the people in your life connect. REMINDERS • Remember the questions you want to ask the next time you meet. • Stay in touch with the people who matter. PRIVACY • No account needed Hippo is filled with private data, so it stays on your device and in your iCloud — and nowhere else. We have no servers, and we can't see your notes, events, or contacts. SUBSCRIPTION Hippo is free to try with up to 25 contacts. To add more, purchase a yearly or lifetime subscription. ————— Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Terms of Service: https://gethippo.app/terms/

Screenshots

Sketch4 screens
Hippo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Hippo at 3.0 against Sketch's 1.6. Hippo also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 25%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 7 months). Sketch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5). On price, ratings volume, 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. Hippo sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Sketch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hippo holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Sketch's written reviews are positive against 63% of Hippo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sketch ships an update every 7 months, Hippo every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Sketch versus Hippo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSketchHippo
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.6 (7 ratings)3.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews62.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings78 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS26.018.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrancesco AbbondoRoel van der Kraan

Customer experience

Sketch

All ratings7 ratings
Positive14.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative85.7%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Hippo

All ratings8 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Sketch

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Hippo

Subscriptions4
  • Hippo Monthly1 Month trial$1.991 Month
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Yearly$13.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Hippo Yearly1 Month trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Sketch free?
Sketch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hippo free?
Hippo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sketch or Hippo?
Hippo is rated higher. Sketch averages 1.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Hippo averages 3.0 from 8 ratings.
Do Sketch or Hippo have ads?
Neither Sketch nor Hippo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sketch or Hippo?
Sketch ships an update every 7 months, and Hippo every 5 weeks. Most recently, Sketch was updated on October 12, 2026 and Hippo on September 27, 2026.

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