Morpholio Journal vs Charcoal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Morpholio Journal
This app is a digital sketchbook for creatives to write, sketch, and design anywhere. It offers a robust set of drawing tools, organizational features, and the ability to import and share ideas, making it ideal for capturing inspiration on the go.
- Sketch on paper, images, or notes
- Variety of pens and brushes
- Organize notes, events, and lists
- Create and name multiple journals
- Import from photos and camera
- Share creations effortlessly
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Awarded “Best App”, Journal is any designers’ dream software. Called “The Future of Sketching” by ArchDaily and “Magic” by Design Milk, Journal combines your dream set of tools with the ability to sketch, write or design anywhere. Welcome to the future of sketchbooks. WRITE, SKETCH, COLLECT Never lose an idea again. Whether you sketch daily or occasionally, inspiration strikes us all at the most unexpected moments. Journal allows you to effortlessly record, organize, sketch and brainstorm ideas along with photos, images or text to capture and develop your most important thoughts. With a powerful array of high quality drawing and writing tools including pens, pencils and paint, Morpholio Journal is ideal for designers, architects, photographers, artists, travelers, or members of any creative culture. Its unique book interface affords instant and easy navigation of thousands of pages unlocking infinite potential. Finally, you can keep track of everything you encounter, and find new ways to visualize, test, and explore the world around you. WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH JOURNAL: DRAW: Sketch, doodle or scribble pictures ORGANIZE: Notes, events, and lists DESIGN: Explore, create and brainstorm ideas CAPTURE: Travel inspiration and moments anywhere WRITE: Record thoughts, and annotate images JOURNAL FEATURES: SKETCH: Draw on paper, images or notes PENS: From precision to markers BRUSHES: Powerful tools for artists BOOKS: Create and name multiple Journals PRIVACY: Log in and out to protect work FLIP: Quick visual browsing COLOR: Custom pen palettes for multiple uses NOTES: Colorful paper markers INIFNITY: Create thousands of pages PAPER: Various templates and types TEXT: Label or write in different fonts SIMPLE: User friendly, clean interface IMPORT: From photos, camera and more PROFILE: Create a personal profile SHARE: Effortlessly send or post PEOPLE USING JOURNAL: Architects, Interior Designers, Fashion Designers, Photographers, Event Planners, Graphic Designers, Landscape Architects, Artists, Industrial designers, Tattoo Artists, Web Designers, Professors, Students, Advertising Professionals, Web Designers, Developers & Real-Estate Professionals, Retailers, Teachers, Students, Kids and many more. Morpholio JournalPro subscription plans are available in the following options: •JournalPro monthly for $0.99 •JournalPro annually for $3.99 Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Subscriptions are automatically renewed unless cancelled at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. You will not be able to cancel a subscription during the active period. Manage your subscriptions in your Account Settings after purchase. Privacy policy: http://www.morpholioapps.com/privacy/ Terms of use: http://www.morpholioapps.com/terms/ We would be thrilled to have Morpholio Journal become a part of your creative process. We hope you enjoy Journal and if there are any specific ways it could be improved for your use, please send us your feedback.
Charcoal
This app offers a simple yet powerful sketching experience with rich tools and beautiful color palettes. Easily create and export your artwork for use in other graphics programs. It supports modern iOS features like multiple windows and dark mode for enhanced productivity.
- Simple sketching interface
- Rich drawing tools
- Beautiful color palettes
- Export sketches
- Multiple window support
- Dark mode
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• Charcoal is incredibly easy to use: Just create or open a sketch and start sketching. There are no layers or confusing settings. Instead, Charcoal features rich tools and beautiful color palettes. • Charcoal allows you to export a sketch to use it in your favorite graphics program. • Charcoal supports modern iOS and iPadOS features like multiple windows and dark mode: use it at night or open multiple sketches, even side by side.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Charcoal at none against Morpholio Journal's 10. Charcoal also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 49%) and device support (4 vs 2). Morpholio Journal's advantage is ratings volume (763 vs 143). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Morpholio Journal sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Charcoal asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Morpholio Journal against 4.5 for Charcoal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Morpholio Journal has 763 ratings behind it against 143, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of Morpholio Journal's written reviews are positive against 77% of Charcoal's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Morpholio Journal | Charcoal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (763 ratings) | 4.5 (143 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 48.6% of reviews | 76.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 763 — better | 143 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Vectorworks, Inc. | Lars Augustin |
Customer experience
Morpholio Journal
Charcoal
User reviews
Morpholio Journal
From 763 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great sketching experience
- 👍 Beautiful journal-like layout
- 💡 Ability to add images and collage
- 👍 Variety of drawing tools and color palettes
Room to improve
- 🔒 Requires account creation
- 💰 Paid features like brushes
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data usage
Charcoal
From 143 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Simple and intuitive
- 👍 Great for quick sketching
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 💰 Free with no ads
Room to improve
- 🎨 Limited color palette
- 🎨 Lack of customization options
- 🎨 Missing advanced drawing tools
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
Bugs and requests
Morpholio Journal
Reported bugs
3 issues- Deleted sketches and content loss
- Unreliable palm rejection
- Compatibility issues on older devices
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to edit and rearrange text
- Sync journals across devices
- Export/print full journal
- More customization options
Charcoal
Reported bugs
3 issues- Saved sketches lose quality
- Palette colors change unexpectedly
- Freezing when opening color palette
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to change brush/pen size
- Layers and blending tools
- Color wheel and custom color selection
- Import/export options
In-app purchases
Morpholio Journal
- Journal Pro Subscription$0.991 Month
- Journal Pro Subscription$3.991 Year
- Body Art$0.99
- Architecture$0.99
- Landscape$0.99
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- Comic Art$0.99
- Illustration$0.99
- Coloring$0.99
- All Brushes$2.99
- All Papers$2.99
Charcoal
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Morpholio Journal free?
Is Charcoal free?
Which has better reviews, Morpholio Journal or Charcoal?
Do Morpholio Journal or Charcoal have ads?
Which is updated more often, Morpholio Journal or Charcoal?
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