Best Zen Brush Apps & Games

237+ iOS apps & games curated and reviewed

3.5 avg rating
17 free apps & games
Updated September 2026

Out of 237+ zen brush apps and games on iOS, 17 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Compare top Zen Brush Apps & Games (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Zen Brush 3Zen Brush 3$4.994.4★ (55)NoNoSep 2026
2Zen Brush 2Zen Brush 2$2.993.9★ (129)NoNoAug 2026
3Mao BrushMao BrushFree3.9★ (18)NoNoSep 2026
4Zen Color - Color By NumberZen Color - Color By NumberFree4.8★ (396K)YesYesSep 2026
5Calligraphy Calm - Ink BrushCalligraphy Calm - Ink BrushFree3.4★ (48)YesYesAug 2026
6ZenView - Calm and MeditationZenView - Calm and MeditationFree4.7★ (644)NoYesSep 2026
7Zen Painting - Ukiyo-e CameraZen Painting - Ukiyo-e CameraFree1.0★ (1)YesYesAug 2026
8Photoly Remove Object & EditorPhotoly Remove Object & EditorFree4.7★ (42)NoYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Zen Brush

Zen Brush 3#1

Zen Brush 3 by PSOFT

Freely draw beautiful zen art.
Editor's Choice
🎨 Graphics & Design
4.4😐(55 ratings)
$4.99
#86in Graphics & Design
Zen Brush 3 screenshot 1
Zen Brush 3 screenshot 2
Zen Brush 3 screenshot 3
Zen Brush 3 screenshot 4
Zen Brush 3 screenshot 5
Zen Brush 3 screenshot 6

This app allows users to create beautiful East Asian ink art, including calligraphy and painting. It simulates an ink brush with adjustable water and color features, offering a rich expressive range for both beginners and experienced artists. Easily share and edit your creations with various export options and background templates.

What We Love

  • 🎨 Realistic brush simulation and ink blending
  • 💧 Innovative water simulation and wet ink effects
  • 🎯 Natural brush stroke behavior and responsiveness
  • 🌈 Color palette addition in version 3
  • 📄 Multiple paper textures and backgrounds
  • 😌 Relaxing and meditative user experience
  • 🖼️ Layer functionality (added in updates)
  • 📸 Image import capability (added in updates)
  • 💾 Transparent background export option
  • ⚙️ Multiple resolution export settings
  • 👨‍💼 Responsive developer support
  • 💰 One-time purchase with no subscriptions

Room to Improve

  • 🔄 Significant downgrade from version 2 in brush feel
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
  • 🔋 Excessive battery drain and device heating
  • ❌ Limited undo functionality (only 5 levels)
  • 🎨 Mushy brush strokes at default resolution
  • ⚙️ Unintuitive and complex navigation
  • 🖱️ Difficult project/canvas management
  • 🗑️ Cumbersome eraser with unnecessary animations
  • 📱 Poor optimization for older iPad models
  • 🖊️ Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity issues
  • 👆 Finger touch area pressure detection removed
  • 🎯 Laggy performance on newer iPad Pro models
  • 🖼️ Layer functionality not intuitive or editable
  • 📐 Missing grid/guide lines from version 2
  • 🎨 Limited brush size adjustment (10 steps vs 80 in v2)
  • 🖼️ Confusing UI with non-intuitive icons
  • 🔌 No cross-device synchronization
  • ❌ No import functionality from version 2
3.9😊(129 ratings)
$2.99
Zen Brush 2 screenshot 1
Zen Brush 2 screenshot 2
Zen Brush 2 screenshot 3
Zen Brush 2 screenshot 4
Zen Brush 2 screenshot 5
Zen Brush 2 screenshot 6

This app offers a drawing experience inspired by East Asian ink brush art. Its intuitive interface and new engine provide a fluid and expressive way to create unique artwork, with options to share and edit your creations.

What We Love

  • 🎨 Realistic brush simulation and stroke quality
  • 😌 Meditative and relaxing user experience
  • ⚡ Quick and responsive performance
  • 🎯 Simple, minimalist interface design
  • ✍️ Excellent for calligraphy and character practice
  • 🖊️ Great Apple Pencil support and pressure sensitivity
  • 📱 Works seamlessly on iPad and iPhone
  • 🎭 Beautiful paper textures and backgrounds
  • 💰 Affordable one-time purchase with no in-app purchases
  • 🔄 Undo functionality for experimentation
  • 📤 Export capability with transparent backgrounds

Room to Improve

  • 🎨 Limited color options (primarily black and red)
  • 📱 No iCloud sync or cloud backup support
  • 🐛 Occasional app crashes and freezes
  • ⚠️ Confusing interface for new users
  • 🗑️ Delete button placement causes accidental deletions
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 📤 Export functionality sometimes fails
  • 🎯 Limited undo depth (approximately 5 steps)
  • 👆 Finger input interferes with stylus drawing
  • ⏱️ Brush stroke continues awkwardly after lifting stylus
  • 🔔 Aggressive promotion of Zen Brush 3 in startup popups
Mao Brush#3

Mao Brush by 金磊 李

Experience Chinese calligraphy
Worth Considering
🔧 Utilities
3.9(18 ratings)
Free
Mao Brush screenshot 1
Mao Brush screenshot 2
Mao Brush screenshot 3
Mao Brush screenshot 4
Mao Brush screenshot 5
Mao Brush screenshot 6

This app offers a realistic digital simulation of Chinese calligraphy, bringing traditional art to the modern age. Experience the unique splash and artistic charm of brushstrokes on rice paper anytime, anywhere. Create and save your own brush calligraphy works.

More Zen Brush apps to explore

FAQ about Zen Brush

What are the best zen brush apps & games for iPhone?
Zen Brush 3 tops our zen brush apps & games ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.4-star average from 55 App Store ratings, and it's priced at $4.99.
Yes — 17 of the top zen brush apps & games we rank are free to download, including Mao Brush and Zen Color - Color By Number.
Zen Brush 3 has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 237+ zen brush apps & games on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Zen Brush 3 is a drawing application designed to emulate the aesthetic and expressive qualities of East Asian ink brushes. It allows users to create calligraphy, ink paintings, and other forms of Zen art with a focus on natural brush strokes and color blending.
Key features include a drawing system that simulates a 3D ink brush, adjustable water and color effects for varied expressions, layer functionality for editing, the ability to import photos as backgrounds or for tracing, and a wide selection of background and paper templates. It also offers export options in JPEG, PNG, and transparent PNG formats.

Related searches