MediBang Paint
by MediBang
MediBang Paint is a free, ad-supported painting and comic app for iPad, iPhone, Android and desktop with cloud sync and shared canvases.
- Price
- Free with ads; Premium plans from $2.99
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
- Rating
- ★ 4.6 on the App Store (33K ratings)
iArtbook
by Alexander Kondrashov
iArtbook is a painting and animation app for iPad, iPhone and Mac with unlimited layers, wet brushes and a lesson mode for learning by copying.
- Price
- Free; Pro $12.99 one-time ($7.99 iPhone only)
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS, macOS
- Rating
- ★ 3.8 on the App Store (12K ratings)
Feature comparison
| Feature | MediBang Paint |
iArtbook |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | Free with ads; Premium plans from $2.99 | Free; Pro $12.99 one-time ($7.99 iPhone only) |
| Free version | Yes, ad-supported | Yes |
| Subscription | Optional MediBang Premium | None |
| Ad-free | No, ads unless removed for $7.99 | Not advertised |
| No account needed | Account needed for cloud features | Not advertised |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Separate app, MediBang Paint for iPhone | Yes, same app |
| Mac | Yes, desktop version | Yes, Apple silicon Macs |
| Android and Chromebook | Yes | Not advertised |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | 180 (700 more with Premium) | Pro brushes plus 1,000+ textures |
| Brush customization | Adjustable; make your own | 50+ settings per brush |
| Brush import | Cloud brushes | Import and export brushes |
| Apple Pencil | Supported | Pressure, tilt, azimuth |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Comic panel tools | Not advertised |
| Screentones | 1,000 screentones | Not advertised |
| Text and lettering | 60 fonts | Not advertised |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Not advertised | Unlimited |
| Blend modes | Yes | Yes |
| Masks | Not advertised | Masks |
| Adjustments and filters | Filters (extra Filter Pack available) | Not advertised |
| Selection tools | Not advertised | Selection tool |
| Liquify and distortion | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Perspective guides | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Shape correction | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Gradients | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Not advertised | Unlimited frames, multiple animation layers |
| 3D painting | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Yes | On by default |
| Live collaboration | Group Project shared canvases | Not advertised |
| Generative AI | None advertised | None advertised |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Export formats | Images, with cloud saving | PNG, MP4, HEVC, GIF, APNG |
| CMYK and print | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 (33K ratings) | 3.8 / 5 (12K ratings) |
| Last updated | September 11, 2026 | January 7, 2026 |
| Languages | 16 | 39 |
Price
Both are free to download, but they charge for different things.
MediBang Paint is free with ads. MediBang Premium plans, from $2.99 on the US App Store, add 700 more brushes, and ads can be removed with a separate $7.99 add-on.
iArtbook is free to download, and Pro is a one-time upgrade: $12.99 on iPad, or $7.99 for iPhone only, with no subscription.
Platforms
Both run on iPad, iPhone and Mac. Only MediBang Paint runs on Android and Windows.
MediBang Paint has an iPad app, a separate iPhone app, and versions for Android, Mac and Windows. Its cloud feature, which needs a MediBang account, lets you move a drawing between devices.
iArtbook is one app for iPhone and iPad that also runs on Apple silicon Macs.
Brushes
MediBang Paint includes 180 adjustable brushes, and Premium plans add 700 more. You can also make your own brushes.
iArtbook brushes can be dry, glossy or wet, with three kinds of wet paint, more than 50 settings per brush, and a library of over 1,000 textures to build your own. Calligraphy smoothing keeps lines clean even when you draw with a finger.
Comics and manga
MediBang Paint was built with comics in mind, with 1,000 screentones, 60 fonts for lettering, easy comic panels and shared canvases for team projects.
iArtbook does not advertise comic panel or screentone tools; its extras are animation and a lesson mode for copying artwork.
Layers and editing
MediBang Paint: It covers the essentials with layers, blend modes and filters, and keeps the interface simple and lightweight, so it stays fast without needing much storage.
iArtbook: Layers are unlimited, with blend modes, masks and lossless transforms. Two color pickers, a color mixer and palette import and export round out the color tools.
Drawing tools and extras
MediBang Paint: Group Project lets you and your friends draw on the same canvas, cloud saving keeps drawings in step between devices, and MediBang Paint records a timelapse of your work.
iArtbook does frame-by-frame animation with unlimited frames and multiple animation layers, exporting to MP4, HEVC, GIF and APNG. Its lesson mode lets you copy any painting or sketch side by side to learn, and timelapse recording is on by default.
Which should you choose?
Choose MediBang Paint if
- You make comics on a budget and want screentones and panels for free
- You want to draw on a shared canvas with friends or a team
- You want to switch between an iPad and a desktop computer
- You also draw on Android
Choose iArtbook if
- You want animation with unlimited frames
- You want to learn by copying artwork in a side-by-side lesson mode
- You want wet, glossy brushes with several smudge styles
- You want unlimited layers
Frequently asked questions
Is MediBang Paint better than iArtbook?
Neither is better for everyone. MediBang Paint is the better pick if you make comics on a budget and want screentones and panels for free, or you want to draw on a shared canvas with friends or a team. iArtbook suits you better if you want animation with unlimited frames, or you want to learn by copying artwork in a side-by-side lesson mode.
Is MediBang Paint free?
Yes, MediBang Paint is free with ads. Premium plans from $2.99 add 700 more brushes, and a $7.99 add-on removes ads.
Is iArtbook free?
Yes, iArtbook is free to download. Pro is a one-time upgrade, $12.99 on iPad or $7.99 for iPhone only, with no subscription.
Which works on iPhone, MediBang Paint or iArtbook?
MediBang Paint has a separate iPhone app, MediBang Paint for iPhone. iArtbook runs on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do MediBang Paint and iArtbook work on Android?
MediBang Paint has an Android version. iArtbook does not list an Android version.
Can two people draw together in MediBang Paint or iArtbook?
Yes, MediBang Paint does (Group Project shared canvases). iArtbook does not advertise live collaboration.
Do MediBang Paint or iArtbook use generative AI?
MediBang Paint does not advertise any generative AI features. iArtbook does not advertise any generative AI features.
Sources
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. MediBang Paint and iArtbook 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 MediBang Paint and iArtbook.