Sketchbook
by Sketchbook, Inc.
Sketchbook is a free sketching and drawing app for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows with a one-time $2.99 Premium Bundle.
- Price
- Free; Premium Bundle $2.99 one-time
- Runs on
- iOS, iPadOS, Android, macOS, Windows
- Rating
- ★ 4.8 on the App Store (221K ratings)
Tayasui Sketches
by Tayasui
Tayasui Sketches is a minimalist sketching and painting app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android with realistic brushes and a calm, hidden-away interface.
- Price
- Free; Pro $7.99 or premium subscription
- Runs on
- iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Android
- Rating
- ★ 4.5 on the App Store (54K ratings)
Feature comparison
| Feature | Sketchbook |
Tayasui Sketches |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | Free; Premium Bundle $2.99 one-time | Free; Pro $7.99 or premium subscription |
| Free version | Yes | Yes, basic tools |
| Subscription | None | Optional premium subscription |
| Ad-free | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| No account needed | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes, same app | Yes, same app |
| Mac | Yes, separate desktop version | Yes, Apple silicon Macs |
| Android and Chromebook | Yes | Separate Android app |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | Pencils, markers, airbrushes, smear and more | 20+ realistic tools |
| Brush customization | Highly customizable; custom brushes in Premium | Brush editor |
| Brush import | Premium Bundle | Not advertised |
| Apple Pencil | Supported | Full Apple Pencil support |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Screentones | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Text and lettering | Not advertised | Text tool |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Not advertised | Layers, exportable as PNG or PSD |
| Blend modes | Full set | Not advertised |
| Masks | Clipping and layer masks in Premium | Not advertised |
| Adjustments and filters | Blur, sharpen, brightness/contrast, greyscale, invert (Premium) | Not advertised |
| Selection tools | Selection tools | Cutter tool |
| Liquify and distortion | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Yes | Not advertised |
| Perspective guides | Perspective guides | Not advertised |
| Shape correction | Predictive Stroke | Shapes (iPad only) |
| Gradients | Gradient fill | Not advertised |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Custom patterns |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| 3D painting | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Yes | Not advertised |
| Live collaboration | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Generative AI | None advertised | None advertised |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Export | Import and export layered PSD |
| Export formats | PNG, JPG, PSD, PDF (Premium) | PNG, layered PSD |
| CMYK and print | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 (221K ratings) | 4.5 / 5 (54K ratings) |
| Last updated | June 1, 2026 | April 10, 2026 |
| Languages | 10 | 13 |
Price
Both are free to download, but they charge for different things.
Sketchbook is free, and a one-time $2.99 Premium Bundle unlocks extras such as custom brushes, clipping masks, layer grouping, extra adjustments and PDF export. There is no subscription.
Tayasui Sketches is free to download. Its Pro tools are unlocked with a $7.99 one-time Pro purchase or a premium subscription, both offered on the US App Store.
Platforms
Both run on iPad, iPhone, Android and Mac. Only Sketchbook runs on Windows.
Sketchbook is one app for iPhone and iPad, with separate versions for Android, Mac and Windows.
Tayasui Sketches is one app for iPhone and iPad that also runs on Apple silicon Macs, and there is a separate Android version. Cloud sync keeps drawings in step across your devices.
Brushes
Sketchbook has a full set of pencils, markers, airbrushes and smear brushes that feel like their physical versions, and every brush is highly customizable. Creating, importing and exporting custom brushes is part of the Premium Bundle.
Sketches has more than 20 carefully tuned tools, including pens, felt pens, oil pastel, acrylic, airbrush and wet and dry watercolor brushes that react to pressure and angle like a real brush on paper. A brush editor lets you tweak them.
Layers and editing
Sketchbook: Layers come with a full set of blend modes. The Premium Bundle adds clipping masks, layer masks, layer groups, and adjustments such as blur, sharpen and brightness/contrast.
Tayasui Sketches: Layers can be exported as separate transparent PNGs, and layered PSD files can be imported and exported. Editing tools are deliberately simple, with a cutter, smudge tool and fill tool rather than a full adjustment suite.
Drawing tools and extras
Sketchbook is built for sketching and precision, with guides, rulers, symmetry, perspective guides and Predictive Stroke for clean lines and shapes. Its clean interface stays out of the way so the canvas gets the screen.
Tayasui Sketches: The interface hides tools while you draw for a calm, minimal canvas. It adds a ruler, shapes on iPad, text, custom patterns and folders to organize your sketchbook.
Which should you choose?
Choose Sketchbook if
- You want a nearly free app with a $2.99 one-time upgrade
- You want perspective guides, rulers and Predictive Stroke
- You want versions for Windows and Mac too
- You want a full set of layer blend modes
Choose Tayasui Sketches if
- You want realistic watercolor, pastel and acrylic tools
- You want cloud sync between iPhone, iPad and Mac
- You want to draw and paint with custom patterns
- You want a text tool
Frequently asked questions
Is Sketchbook better than Tayasui Sketches?
Neither is better for everyone. Sketchbook is the better pick if you want a nearly free app with a $2.99 one-time upgrade, or you want perspective guides, rulers and Predictive Stroke. Tayasui Sketches suits you better if you want realistic watercolor, pastel and acrylic tools, or you want cloud sync between iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Is Sketchbook free?
Yes. Sketchbook is free, and a one-time $2.99 Premium Bundle unlocks extras such as custom brushes, clipping masks, layer groups and PDF export. There is no subscription.
Is Tayasui Sketches free?
Yes, Tayasui Sketches is free to download. Its Pro tools need a $7.99 one-time Pro purchase or a premium subscription.
Which works on iPhone, Sketchbook or Tayasui Sketches?
Both. Sketchbook and Tayasui Sketches each run on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do Sketchbook and Tayasui Sketches work on Android?
Sketchbook has an Android version. Tayasui Sketches has an Android version.
Do Sketchbook or Tayasui Sketches use generative AI?
Sketchbook does not advertise any generative AI features. Tayasui Sketches does not advertise any generative AI features.
Sources
- Sketchbook on the App Store
- Tayasui Sketches on the App Store
- Tayasui Sketches on ChromeOS and Android
Facts checked on October 2, 2026. Prices are from the US App Store, and features from each app's listing and official site. Apps change often, so check the App Store for current prices and features. Sketchbook and Tayasui Sketches are trademarks of their respective owners. App icons come from each app's App Store listing and belong to their owners. Paintrix Studio is not affiliated with the makers of Sketchbook and Tayasui Sketches.