Best Tattoo Stencil Apps in 2026 for iPhone and Android

Search the App Store for "tattoo stencil" and you get dozens of apps with near-identical screenshots. A few of them are good. Most differ in three ways that matter at the chair: how clean the line work is on a difficult reference, which phones they run on, and what a year of use actually costs once the trial ends. This guide compares the apps tattoo artists use most, with prices checked on the US App Store in October 2026, and says plainly which one we would start with.

Key takeaways

For most artists Stencify is the strongest all-round pick: clean conversion in about 30 seconds, try-on, text-to-design, iPhone, iPad and Android, and $47.99 a year with no credits.
Credit-based apps look cheap per month and get expensive in a busy studio. Count conversions per week before you compare prices.
Check the platform first. Several popular stencil apps are Apple-only, which rules them out for Android users and for studios with mixed phones.
Every serious app here has a free way to test it. Run the same difficult photo through each one and compare the printed result, not the screenshots.

What to compare before you install anything

Ignore the feature lists for a minute. A stencil app does one core job: it turns a reference into clean line work you can print and transfer. Judge that job first, on a reference that is hard, such as a low-contrast phone photo with a busy background. Then check four practical things: whether you can adjust line weight and contrast after conversion, whether it runs on the phones in your studio, whether it exports a file sized for stencil paper, and what it costs per year at your real volume.

The apps compared

App	Platforms	Free to try	Yearly price
Stencify	iPhone, iPad, Android	Two full conversions	$47.99, unlimited
Stencil AI	iPhone, iPad, Android, web	Preview only	From $140 (credits)
Stenstill	iPhone, iPad, Android	Converts on free download	$49.99
Ghostline	iPhone, iPad	Not stated	$59.99
StencilPro	iOS, web	Free trial	From $99.99
Line Ripper	iOS, web	5 stencils a month	$228 on Professional
TattStencil	iOS only	Fully free	Free

Prices are the published US App Store or website prices checked on October 5, 2026. Google Play prices can differ by country.

Stencify: the best all-round choice

Stencify converts a photo or sketch into clean, evenly weighted line work in about 30 seconds, then lets you adjust line weight and contrast with sliders. No other app in this list combines all of the following in one place: generate a design from a text description, edit a stencil by typing a change, preview it on a body model or your client's photo at real size, and export a PNG or PDF for stencil paper. It runs on iPhone, iPad and Android, has a 4.8 rating on the App Store, and costs $47.99 a year or $4.99 a week with unlimited conversions. The first two uses are free, so you can test it on a real client reference before paying.

Stencil AI: more retouching tools, about three times the price

Stencil AI adds a manual retouch studio and a hatching style, and it has a browser version. It counts conversions as credits and starts at $140 a year, with the Pro plan at $290. If you mainly need fast, clean stencils from client references, Stencify covers that job for roughly a third of the yearly cost and adds try-on and text-to-design. The full breakdown is on our Stencify vs Stencil AI page.

Stenstill: similar price, fewer tools

Stenstill converts photos on iPhone and Android and includes an AI design generator, at $49.99 a year or $7.99 a week. Stencify covers the same ground and adds try-on and editing a stencil by typing a change, at a slightly lower yearly price and a lower weekly price, which makes it the better value at the same budget.

Ghostline: Apple-only

Ghostline has good printing tools but runs only on iPhone and iPad and costs $59.99 a year. Stencify does the same conversion job on Apple and Android for less, with try-on included.

StencilPro, Line Ripper and TattStencil

StencilPro is aimed at converting finished designs on iOS and the web and starts at $99.99 a year. Line Ripper has a free tier of five stencils a month and a Professional plan at $228 a year, also without Android. TattStencil is fully free and iOS-only, with no try-on or text-to-design listed. Each fits a narrow case; none matches Stencify's mix of conversion quality, platforms and yearly price.

How to test any stencil app properly

Pick one hard reference: a phone photo with soft light and a cluttered background.
Convert it in each app you are considering, using the free uses or trial.
Print each result at 100% on plain paper at the size you would tattoo it.
Compare edges, eyes and fine detail at print size, not on the phone screen.

Our guide on making a tattoo stencil from a picture explains what a good result looks like.

Our pick

For most tattoo artists and for people planning their own tattoo, Stencify is the app to start with: clean results, both phone platforms, try-on and text-to-design included, and one flat yearly price. Try your first two conversions free: get Stencify on the App Store or on Google Play.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best tattoo stencil app?

For most artists, Stencify. It converts photos and sketches into clean stencils in about 30 seconds, runs on iPhone, iPad and Android, includes try-on and text-to-design, and costs $47.99 a year with unlimited conversions.

Is there a tattoo stencil app for Android?

Yes. Stencify and Stenstill both run on Android. Several popular stencil apps, including Ghostline and TattStencil, are iPhone-only.

Is there a free tattoo stencil app?

TattStencil is fully free on iPhone, and Line Ripper has a free tier of five stencils a month. Stencify gives two full conversions free so you can test the complete workflow before paying.

How much does a tattoo stencil app cost?

Between free and about $290 a year. Stencify is $47.99 a year, Stenstill $49.99, Ghostline $59.99, StencilPro from $99.99 and Stencil AI from $140, based on US App Store prices in October 2026.

The Best Tattoo Stencil Apps in 2026, Compared by Real Prices