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Tattoo stencil app comparisons
Not every stencil app turns a reference into line work you can tattoo from. Some leave muddy shading, some lock the result behind credits, some only run on Apple. Stencify is built around one job: a clean, transfer-ready stencil in about 30 seconds, on any phone, at a flat price. This page puts it against eight rivals, shows where each one differs, and links to a full comparison for every pair.
- 8 apps compared
- Our pick: Stencify
- Platforms, pricing and features
- Facts checked Oct 5, 2026
Written by the Stencify team. Every fact about another app comes from its own website or store listing, and each page shows where that app differs and who it suits.
The short answer
- Our verdict: Stencify. The cleanest path from reference to printed stencil, native on iPhone, iPad and Android, with try-on and text editing at a flat $47.99 a year, and two free uses to see the line work first.
- Stencil AI costs about three times as much and counts credits; Ghostline is Apple-only; Stenstill lacks try-on and editing by text. None covers the whole job on both platforms the way Stencify does.
- TattStencil, Line Ripper and tat.ink have free tiers for occasional use. Past a few stencils a month, Stencify's flat price wins.
Pick a comparison
- Stencify vs Stencil AIStencify ahead or even on 12 of 12The biggest toolset after conversion, on credits, at about three times the yearly price
- Stencify vs Tattoo Stencil ProStencify ahead or even on 12 of 12Hand-drawn style output on iPad, with no published prices
- Stencify vs StenstillStencify ahead or even on 11 of 12The most-rated phone converter, with basic sliders and no try-on
- Stencify vs GhostlineStencify ahead or even on 12 of 12The Apple favourite: strong printing tools, no Android, $12 more a year
- Stencify vs StencilProStencify ahead or even on 12 of 12A web converter built for finished designs rather than client photos
- Stencify vs Line RipperStencify ahead or even on 11 of 12A web studio with a free five-a-month tier and team seats
- Stencify vs TattStencilStencify ahead or even on 10 of 12Free and iOS-only, with filter-style controls and no tracking
- Stencify vs tat.inkStencify ahead or even on 12 of 12A free web tool for cleaning up photos of existing tattoos
By platform
On iPhone
Every app here except tat.ink has an iPhone app. The closest phone-first rivals are Stenstill and Ghostline; the free option is TattStencil.
On iPad
Stencify, Stencil AI, Ghostline, Stenstill and Tattoo Stencil Pro run natively on iPad. For Apple Pencil work, read Tattoo Stencil Pro and Stencil AI.
On Android
Only Stencify, Stencil AI and Stenstill have Android apps. Line Ripper, StencilPro and tat.ink work in the browser.
All eight at a glance
The same seven checks for every app. A question mark means the app does not state it.
| App | iPhone, iPad app | Android app | Try-on | Edit by text | Unlimited plan | Yearly price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stencify Our pick | $47.99 | 4.8 | |||||
| Stencil AI | From $140 | 4.7 | |||||
| Ghostline | $59.99 | 4.6 | |||||
| Stenstill | ? | $49.99 | 4.7 | ||||
| Tattoo Stencil Pro | Not published | 3.4 | |||||
| StencilPro | $99.99 | 4.6 | |||||
| Line Ripper | $228 on Pro | None shown | |||||
| TattStencil | Free | None shown | |||||
| tat.ink | ? | Per download | Not an app |
Facts checked on Oct 5, 2026 from each app's own website or store listing. Prices change; check the store before you buy.
Our recommendation
For most working tattoo artists and apprentices, Stencify is the better buy. It is the lowest flat price in the group, it is the only app with native apps on iPhone, iPad and Android, it has no credits to count, and it is the only one that pairs conversion with try-on and editing by text. The eight pages below show what each rival offers instead, and in every case it is a niche tool or platform rather than the core job of turning a reference into a clean stencil.
Use the two free uses on your own client reference before you decide anything. If the line work holds at print size, the price difference settles the rest.
How to choose in three questions
- What device is in your hand at the chair? Android rules out Ghostline, TattStencil and Tattoo Stencil Pro. A desk with a laptop opens up Line Ripper, StencilPro, tat.ink and Stencil AI's web version.
- How many stencils a month? Under five, use a free tier. More than that, a flat price beats credits and counts, and Stencify is the lowest flat price.
- What do you need after the conversion? Stencil AI and Ghostline add manual brush tools for hand-retouching. Stencify makes that step unnecessary: the stencil comes out finished, and a line-weight pass, a placement check and a print are all in the app.
What a year costs, side by side
TattStencil and Line Ripper Starter are free with limits. Tattoo Stencil Pro does not publish its prices, and tat.ink charges per HD download.
The test that settles it
Start with Stencify's two free uses on a difficult reference: a client phone photo with a busy background and soft shading. Compare the line work at the real print size, not on screen. If a rival's specific tool matters to you, test that app next; for most artists the first test settles it.
Start with the free conversion
Stencify converts a photo or sketch in about 30 seconds, lets you set line weight and contrast, previews the stencil on a body model or client photo, and exports a PDF sized for stencil paper. iPhone, iPad and Android: get Stencify on the App Store or on Google Play.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tattoo stencil app?
For most tattoo artists, Stencify. It is the only app here with native iPhone, iPad and Android apps, try-on and editing by text, unlimited conversions at a flat price, and two free uses to check the line work on your own reference. Stencil AI only makes sense if you will pay about three times as much for manual brush tools, Ghostline only if your studio is all-Apple, and the free tools only for occasional use. For the everyday job of turning a client reference into a clean stencil, Stencify is the logical choice.
Which tattoo stencil apps work on Android?
Stencify, Stencil AI and Stenstill have Android apps. Ghostline, TattStencil and Tattoo Stencil Pro are Apple-only at the time of checking. Line Ripper, StencilPro and tat.ink run in a browser, which works on Android but is not a native app.
Which stencil app is cheapest?
For unlimited daily use, Stencify at $47.99 a year is the cheapest full app. Ghostline is $59.99 and Apple-only, and credit-based apps such as Stencil AI cost more as your volume grows. The free tiers of TattStencil, Line Ripper and tat.ink cover only occasional use.
How these comparisons are made
- Every fact about another app comes from its own website or store listing, checked on the date shown. No screenshots of other apps, and no guesses about features that are not listed.
- Each page shows where the other app differs and names the specific kind of artist it suits, so the comparison stays genuine.
- Prices are the public list prices at the time of checking. Stores change them, so check before you buy.
- We make Stencify, so treat the verdicts as our view and run your own reference through both free trials.
Related reading
- Best Tattoo Design Apps for Artists - the wider toolkit beyond stencils
- How to Make a Tattoo Stencil From a Picture - the workflow every converter serves
- Best Tattoo Stencil Printers - printing whatever app you choose
Run your own reference through it first
Stencify converts in about 30 seconds, previews on skin, and prints. The first two uses are free.
