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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Sketch a Day vs Paper

Sketch a Day 4.8★ · Free + IAP 85
Winner Sketch a Day
Paper 4.6★ · Free + IAP 60

Sketch a Day is better for artists seeking daily inspiration and a supportive community, while Paper is a digital notebook with drawing tools, but its high subscription cost and limited free features make it less appealing.

Full reviews: Sketch a Day · Paper

Sketch a Day excels as a community-driven app offering daily drawing prompts and fostering a positive environment for artists of all levels. Paper, while offering a good digital journaling experience, is heavily criticized for its high subscription fees and limited functionality in its free version, making it a less attractive option for many users.

Head to head

Features and Tools edge: Sketch a DayR2R5R9R11
Sketch a Day Sketch a Day provides daily prompts that help users branch out and explore new subjects, along with lessons and tutorials R2R11R14. Users appreciate the ability to upload their own art and see others' submissions R9. However, some users report glitches with the reward gallery, inability to see prompts, and issues with uploading from photo libraries R5R9R12.
Paper Paper offers a variety of drawing tools, including markers, paint brushes, and pencils, with a wide color selection . It's praised for its cut tool and collage features, making it suitable for scrapbooking and journaling . However, many essential features like adding multiple photos, advanced art tools, and text boxes are locked behind a Pro subscription . Users also report issues with syncing and auto-saving, leading to lost work .
Ease of Use and Reliability tieR5R9R12R22
Sketch a Day Sketch a Day is generally considered easy to use for sharing artwork and navigating the community . However, users frequently report glitches, such as the app freezing, not loading prompts, issues with the reward gallery, and problems with account login R5R9R22. Some users also experienced difficulties uploading from their iPad R12.
Paper Paper is noted for its simple and intuitive user interface . However, many users experience frequent crashes, syncing issues, and problems with auto-saving, which can lead to lost work . The app also requires an internet connection to re-download journals, which can be inconvenient .
Community and Inspiration edge: Sketch a DayR2R8R11R14
Sketch a Day Sketch a Day is highly praised for its positive, supportive, and inspiring community R2R8R20R23. The daily prompts are a significant motivator, helping users overcome art blocks and explore new ideas R2R11R14. Users enjoy seeing diverse interpretations of prompts and receiving feedback R23.
Paper Paper is primarily a personal journaling and sketching app, with no explicit community features mentioned in the reviews. Its focus is on individual creativity and note-taking .
Price and Value edge: Sketch a DayR1R2R7R13
Sketch a Day Sketch a Day offers a free tier that many users find enjoyable and functional, with some stating it doesn't push upgrades R2. However, recent updates have introduced significant ad intrusion, making the app nearly unusable for free users R7R13. There are also complaints about dark patterns in payment options and a lack of a reasonable one-time purchase for ad removal R1R13.
Paper Paper is heavily criticized for its high subscription prices, with many users stating it's $100 per year or $10 per week, which they find unreasonable for the features offered . Many core features are paywalled, making the free version very limited . Users who previously paid a lower one-time fee or annual subscription are upset about the price increase and being forced into new subscription models .
Support and Moderation tieR4R6R16R17
Sketch a Day Sketch a Day's community is generally seen as supportive, but moderation and customer service receive mixed to negative reviews. Users report posts being deleted without explanation, issues with plagiarism accusations against their own work, and a lack of response from customer support regarding technical issues or membership upgrades R6R16R17. Some users also complain about content restrictions R4.
Paper Paper's support and maintenance are heavily criticized, with users stating that the app is no longer maintained by engineers or designers since being acquired by Evernote . Users report issues with syncing and lost work, with no clear path for recovery or support . The integration with Evernote is also a point of frustration for some .
Pick Sketch a Day if

You are an artist looking for daily inspiration and a supportive community to share your work and receive feedback R8R23. You want to challenge yourself with new drawing topics and improve your skills R11. You are comfortable with a free app that may have ads, or are willing to pay for a one-time 'supporter' fee, despite some reported dark patterns R2.

Pick Paper if

You are looking for a digital notebook or journaling app with basic drawing tools and a simple user interface . You are willing to pay a high annual subscription fee for full access to features like multiple photos per page and advanced tools . You prioritize a clean aesthetic and a good cut tool for collages .

Evidence note: Sketch a Day has fewer reviews overall, but a higher lifetime rating. Recent reviews for Sketch a Day show a negative trend regarding ads and payment patterns, which might not be fully reflected in its lifetime rating. Paper has a significantly larger number of reviews, but a lower lifetime rating, heavily impacted by consistent complaints about its pricing model and lack of maintenance.

Frequently asked

What are the main pricing models for each app?
Sketch a Day is free with in-app purchases, offering a monthly subscription and a one-time 'supporter' payment, though recent updates have increased ad frequency for free users R1R2R7R13. Paper is also free with in-app purchases, but its Pro subscription is notably expensive, costing around $100 per year or $10 per week, with many core features locked behind this paywall .
Do these apps offer drawing lessons or tutorials?
Sketch a Day offers helpful lessons and tutorials, covering topics like drawing hands and clothing, which users find beneficial for improving their skills R2R14R48R50. Paper, on the other hand, is primarily a drawing and journaling space, and while some users mention a tutorial, it's more about app usage than drawing instruction .
Are there community features in either app?
Sketch a Day boasts a strong and positive community where users can share their artwork, receive feedback, comment on others' work, and find inspiration from diverse interpretations of daily prompts R2R8R20R23. Paper is a more solitary experience, focusing on personal journaling and sketching, with no community features mentioned in the reviews .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US I recommend this app!: This app is pretty good. It actually has NO ads, I’d say it doesn’t push on you to upgrade. There is a lot of positivity in the comments and it feels great! The lessons are helpful. Like learning how to properly draw hands and the way of clothing. And the daily prompts are simple, yet so big! Like we had ‘echo’ once, everyone thought many things. It’s nice to see multiple pe
  2. [R5] Sketch a Day 4/5 · US love this app but one small thing..: I love the idea of a different prompt everyday. It really helps you branch out and draw things you normally wouldn’t. The only thing I dislike is the glitch i’m having with the “reward gallery”. I cant see any of the art and it’s disappointing because I have 4 unclaimed rewards at the moment. Other than that I love this app.
  3. [R9] Sketch a Day 3/5 · US Good but could improve: Hey so sketch a day is great I can share my art work and I love that and I love discovering amazing artists but it will glitch we’re it will not let me see today’s prompt and I have great Internet connection but sometimes it will never load also sometimes the prompts are weird and just not fun to draw I think they should make multiple prompts for the day but overall it is p
  4. [R11] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US Beneficial: Having a daily prompt is brilliant. Challenges you to attempt topics you might not ever think about
  5. [R12] Sketch a Day 3/5 · US Great app and community, unable to upload from iPad: Maybe it’s a bug but when I click “photo library” nothing happens. I tried creating a file named photo library and that still didn’t help. I have jpegs and pngs to upload but I cannot get the app to interact with my gallery. I am on an iPad Pro 5th gen.
  6. [R22] Sketch a Day 1/5 · US Don’t know what to think: I was really excited for this app but whenever I click on it the app loads and then kicks me out
  7. [R8] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US Love the community ❤️: I live sketch a day so much the community is so nice and supportive! I love the suggestions each day for the prompt to give you ideas! I wish that you could see who follows you though. But that’s ok because I really just do it for the streak not the likes 🙂
  8. [R14] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US Best app ever!: This app is not only entertaining, it is also inspirational and educational. It prompts you to become productive! I love it.
  9. [R1] Sketch a Day 1/5 · US Dark pattern: They changed the way you can see upcoming prompts (used to be ad supported). It says to unlock and gives the option for the monthly subscription and if you click “more” lets you do a 1 time payment as a supporter. Since I clicked “unlock” and then “more” I assumed the one time payment would unlock the thing I clicked unlock on. It did not. This is a dark pattern designed to steal yo
  10. [R7] Sketch a Day 1/5 · US Ads are absurd: There are so many ads the app is nearly unusable
  11. [R13] Sketch a Day 1/5 · US Don’t update if you have an older version - unbearable ads: The newer version of this app forces you to watch extremely long ads over and over, even to browse the app. This app is not usable anymore. Depressing. Give us a reasonable one time fee to have it free forever.
  12. [R4] Sketch a Day 1/5 · US Hard Pass: No graphic violence allowed? Might as well cut my fingers off. What is the point? I’m a horror artist. Beyond lame.
  13. [R6] Sketch a Day 3/5 · US Good community: The only reason I’m giving a three star is because they deleted one of my posts and when I delete a post it still says it’s there. I have 25 sketches but it says I have 29. And it says I have 646 likes but I really only have 616. So the one they deleted had 30 likes. But it still shows on profile that it’s there (doesn’t even show the drawing). I like it when they can tell us why t
  14. [R16] Sketch a Day 1/5 · US Plagiarism: Was erased for paganism on my own work. Said they found out on Pinterest. Of course they did cause it was my Pinterest. 😂 jealous moderators I reckon!
  15. [R17] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US No customer service: The app is great for my purpose, which was getting every day prompts to get me drawing. I can’t complaint in that regard. However, customer service is non-existent. I sent a couple of messages through the app regarding an issue I’m having trying to upgrade, and I never received a response. It’s disappointing
  16. [R48] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US I CANT EVEN DESCRIBE HOW GOOD!: Okay this is my first review I’ve wrote ever. Which means the app is that good. I’ve tried many apps as an artist on YT (3B’s ART) this app just flew through the roof. It’s a fun free app unless u become member. It helps me get ideas when I have none and it’s so fun to do and connect with others. The app works so good and was built great. The tutorials help a lot an
  17. [R50] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US Helped me start drawing again: This is exactly what I needed. I loved Inkoctober but it was one month a year, and I wanted more promts to open my imagination daily. And this did it! The community it’s great, tips about drawing and tutorials l. Makes you feel good sharing your art with fellow artist of all levels and media. NLQ
  18. [R20] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US Love this app: Bad thing first..it is glitchy when you try to write a comment. That’s why I gave 4 instead of 5 stars The good. I love this app. I love the positivity and this art community. It definitely sparks inspiration. I kept this review short sweet and to the point
  19. [R23] Sketch a Day 5/5 · US Inspiring & Helpful: Joined to improve/sharpen my illustration hand skills. Getting a daily random subject to illustrate is a great way for me to unlock my creativity. Drawing every day is helping me to hone my skills and style. Additionally I set a 30 minute time limit for myself to push myself to work rapidly. Love seeing the creativity ways others around the world interpret the same subject ma

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store