SketchAR vs Da Vinci Eye — AR drawing app comparison
SketchAR and Da Vinci Eye are the two best-known augmented-reality drawing apps, and artists weighing one against the other usually want a plain answer rather than marketing from either side. SketchAR is the larger app by downloads, built around guided step-by-step AR drawing and AI features. Da Vinci Eye is the more focused projection-and-tracing app, with a noticeably higher store rating. This is a neutral, side-by-side look at both — platforms, pricing, ratings, strengths, and the one limitation they share — and only at the end, a third option for the artists whose deal-breaker is that limitation. Every competitor figure below should be re-checked on the relevant store listing, since app pricing and ratings drift.
By Sujith Puthran · Published 30 June 2026 · This page is by Grid Maker Pro. We make an AR tracing app of our own, so we have kept the SketchAR-vs-Da Vinci-Eye comparison neutral and linked both apps so you can verify every claim.
The two apps at a glance
SketchAR is one of the most-downloaded AR drawing apps, reported at over five million installs, and runs on iOS and Android (with versions for AR headsets such as Quest and HoloLens). It is built around guided, step-by-step AR drawing — you follow a projected line by line — plus a set of AI-assisted features. The business model is freemium with a PRO subscription, reported around $9.99 per month or $34.99 per year (a $49.99 per year variant has also been seen). Store ratings tell an interesting story: roughly 4.2 stars on iOS, but around 3.7 stars on Android across about 76,000 ratings. That Android–iOS gap is itself a signal, and the lower reviews most often cite aggressive, repetitive subscription pop-ups, too much locked behind PRO, and AR tracking that can be unreliable. Verify the current pricing and ratings on its official site and store listings.
Da Vinci Eye — listed as "Da Vinci Eye: AR Trace & Draw" — is by Da Vinci Eye LLC, founded by Samuel Gherman, and hosted at davincieyeapp.com. It runs on iOS, Android, and Apple Vision Pro. It is a more focused projection-and-tracing app: AR and Classic projection modes, image stabilization and strobe, value-layer separation, time-lapse, and built-in lessons, aimed at painters, muralists, and tattoo artists. It is free to install with an auto-renewing subscription, reported around $7.99 per month or $29.99 per year with a seven-day trial. Its store rating is the stronger of the two — roughly 4.6 stars on iOS across about 11,000 ratings — and it gained wider reach after appearing on Shark Tank (Season 15). Confirm current terms on its store listings before deciding.
The honest headline: SketchAR wins on scale and guided learning, Da Vinci Eye wins on focus and reputation — and both share one limitation that frustrates artists who want to trace their own reference for free.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | SketchAR | Da Vinci Eye | Grid Maker Pro app |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR tracing onto paper or canvas | Yes — guided AR drawing | Yes — AR and Classic modes | Yes — AR tracing |
| Trace your own photo on the free tier | Limited — much locked behind PRO | No — own photo is subscription-only; free traces community / stock | Yes — 3 traces of your own photo every month, free |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, AR headsets (Quest / HoloLens) | iOS, Android, Apple Vision Pro | Android (iOS planned) |
| Guided lessons / AI features | Yes — step-by-step AR + AI features | Yes — library of guided lessons | No — overlays and guides instead |
| Projection modes and stabilization | AR drawing mode | AR + Classic, stabilization, strobe | AR mode, stabilized projection |
| Composition overlays (grids) | Not the focus | Not the focus — projection-first | 82 overlays — golden ratio, Loomis head, dynamic symmetry, perspective, sacred geometry |
| Pricing model | Freemium + PRO (~$9.99/mo or ~$34.99/yr; $49.99/yr variant seen) | Free install + subscription (~$7.99/mo or ~$29.99/yr) | Free tier + $29.99/yr, $6.99/mo, or $79 Lifetime |
| One-time purchase option | No — subscription | No — subscription | Yes — $79 Lifetime, no subscription |
| Store rating (verify on store) | ~4.2★ iOS / ~3.7★ Android (~76K) | ~4.6★ iOS (~11K) | New listing — no rating shown |
| Common complaint | Repetitive subscription pop-ups; PRO paywall; AR tracking | Own-photo import is paywalled | — |
| Account required | Account / store sign-in for PRO | App Store / Play account for subscription | No account to start |
| Best for | Guided AR learning, AI features, beginners | Focused projection, value layers, iOS / Vision Pro | Tracing your own photo free, deep overlay library, one-time price |
Pricing, ratings, and feature facts above are from each app's site and store listings as observed in June 2026. Subscription tiers and ratings drift — confirm the current figures on the SketchAR and Da Vinci Eye listings before you decide.
Where SketchAR wins
- Scale and reach. With over five million downloads, SketchAR is the larger, more widely used app, with a big community and frequent updates.
- Guided, step-by-step drawing. Its core loop walks you through a drawing line by line in AR, which is genuinely helpful for beginners learning to build up a sketch rather than only tracing a contour.
- AI features and breadth. It bundles AI-assisted tools and a broad feature set aimed at learning to draw, not just projection.
- Headset support. Beyond phones it ships versions for AR headsets such as Quest and HoloLens, which is rare in this category.
Where Da Vinci Eye wins
- Higher store rating. At roughly 4.6 stars on iOS across about 11,000 ratings, Da Vinci Eye is the better-reviewed app, and it avoids the Android–iOS rating gap that flags friction in SketchAR.
- Focused projection toolkit. AR plus a Classic projection mode, image stabilization, and a strobe option give it a more complete tracing experience for painters and muralists.
- Value-layer separation and time-lapse. It can break a reference into value layers for shading passes and record a time-lapse of your work — useful, practical features SketchAR does not center on.
- Apple Vision Pro support. It runs on Vision Pro today, which matters if you work on Apple's headset.
- Calmer monetization. While its own-photo paywall draws complaints, it does not attract the volume of "obnoxious pop-up" reviews that pull down SketchAR's Android rating.
The limitation they share
Both apps gate their most valuable features behind a subscription, and both make it hard to do the one thing most people install an AR drawing app for: trace your own reference photo for free. In Da Vinci Eye, importing and tracing your own photo is the subscription's headline restriction — free users get community and stock images, and "you can't use your own photos without paying" is the most repeated complaint in its reviews. In SketchAR, much of the drawing experience sits behind PRO, and the repetitive upgrade prompts are the most repeated complaint in its reviews. Neither is a scam — both are real, capable apps — but if your goal is to load a photo from your camera roll and start tracing without a paywall in the way, both will frustrate you. That shared gap is the reason a third option is worth knowing about.
A third option to consider
If the own-photo paywall is your sticking point with both apps, the Grid Maker Pro app takes the opposite stance on exactly that point. It is free to install and gives you three AR traces of your own photo every month at no cost, so you can do real work on your own reference before paying anything. It also ships all 82 professional composition overlays — golden ratio, Loomis head, dynamic symmetry, perspective, and sacred geometry — which neither SketchAR nor Da Vinci Eye centers on. Unlimited tracing is $29.99 per year or $6.99 per month, or a $79 one-time Lifetime unlock with no subscription, for people who would rather not add another recurring bill. It is built by a working artist of 15 years, it is Android-first with iOS planned, and there is no account required to start.
To be clear about the framing: the free Grid Maker Pro web tool at gridmakerpro.com stays free forever and browser-only. The AR app is a separate, optional product that adds the one thing a browser cannot do — projecting your reference onto real paper or canvas.
This is offered as one honest alternative, not a winner crowned over two rivals. SketchAR and Da Vinci Eye are more mature in their own ways, and if their feature sets fit your work, they are the established choices. The Grid Maker Pro app simply solves the shared free-own-photo gap directly, and adds a deeper composition-overlay library on top.
Which to pick
- Pick SketchAR if you want guided, step-by-step AR drawing and AI features, you are learning the basics, you want the biggest app and community, or you draw on an AR headset — and you can tolerate the upgrade prompts.
- Pick Da Vinci Eye if you want a focused projection app with a Classic mode, stabilization, value layers, and time-lapse; if you are on iOS or Apple Vision Pro; and if a higher store rating reassures you — accepting that your own photo needs the subscription.
- Consider the Grid Maker Pro app if the deciding factor is tracing your own photo for free each month, the deepest composition-overlay library in a tracing app, and a one-time lifetime price instead of a subscription — and you are on Android.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SketchAR and Da Vinci Eye?
SketchAR is the larger app by downloads and leans on guided step-by-step AR drawing plus AI features, with a freemium model and a PRO subscription. Da Vinci Eye is a more focused AR and Classic projection app aimed at painters, muralists, and tattoo artists, with value-layer separation, time-lapse, lessons, and Apple Vision Pro support. The biggest practical difference is reputation: Da Vinci Eye holds a higher store rating, while SketchAR's Android rating sits lower, largely over subscription pop-ups. Re-verify current ratings on each official store listing before deciding.
Is SketchAR or Da Vinci Eye free?
Both are free to install and both gate their most useful features behind a subscription. SketchAR is freemium with a PRO plan reported around $9.99 a month or $34.99 a year (a $49.99 a year variant has also been seen). Da Vinci Eye is free to install with a subscription reported around $7.99 a month or $29.99 a year and a seven-day trial. Neither offers unlimited tracing of your own photo for free. Confirm the live price on each store listing, since subscription pricing drifts.
Which has better reviews, SketchAR or Da Vinci Eye?
Da Vinci Eye holds the stronger rating: roughly 4.6 stars on iOS across about 11,000 ratings. SketchAR sits around 4.2 stars on iOS but only about 3.7 stars on Android across roughly 76,000 ratings, and that Android and iOS gap is itself a signal — most of the lower reviews cite repetitive subscription pop-ups and features locked behind PRO. Always check the current numbers on the App Store and Google Play, since ratings change over time.
Can I trace my own photo for free in SketchAR or Da Vinci Eye?
In both apps the most valuable tracing features are paywalled. Da Vinci Eye lets free users trace community and stock images but requires the subscription to import and trace your own photo, which is the most common complaint in its reviews. SketchAR locks much of its drawing experience behind PRO. The Grid Maker Pro app takes a different stance and gives you three AR traces of your own photo every month for free, then unlimited tracing on a paid tier or a one-time lifetime unlock.
What is a good third option to SketchAR and Da Vinci Eye?
If the own-photo paywall in both apps is your sticking point, the Grid Maker Pro app is worth a look. It is free to install with three AR traces of your own photo every month plus all 82 professional composition overlays, and unlimited tracing costs $29.99 a year, $6.99 a month, or a $79 one-time lifetime unlock with no subscription. It is Android-first with iOS planned, built by a working artist of 15 years. The free Grid Maker Pro web tool stays free forever and browser-only; the app adds AR tracing onto real paper.
Should I pick SketchAR or Da Vinci Eye?
Pick SketchAR if you want guided step-by-step AR drawing lessons and AI features and you are learning the basics. Pick Da Vinci Eye if you want a focused projection app with value layers, time-lapse, a Classic mode, and Apple Vision Pro support, and you value its higher store rating. If both apps' subscription and own-photo paywall bother you, the Grid Maker Pro app is the free-own-photo, one-time-price alternative to consider.
References
- SketchAR. sketchar.io. Primary source for SketchAR's platforms, PRO pricing, and features — verify current terms at sketchar.io and its App Store / Google Play listings.
- Da Vinci Eye: AR Trace & Draw. davincieyeapp.com. Da Vinci Eye LLC (Samuel Gherman). Primary source for Da Vinci Eye's platforms, pricing, and features — verify current terms at davincieyeapp.com and its store listings.
- Alberti, Leon Battista. On Painting (Della Pittura, 1435). Penguin Classics. ISBN 978-0-14-043331-3. The foundational text on the squared "veil" — the proportional-transfer ancestor of every tracing and grid method.
