Tattoo stencil app comparison
Stencify vs Tattoo Stencil (iOS app)
Stencify is an AI stencil app for iPhone, iPad and Android with line controls, four shading styles, text edits and try-on. Tattoo Stencil, by Pony Lawson LLC, is a $0.99 iPhone and iPad app first released in 2018 and last updated in November 2019.
- Tattoo Stencil: $0.99, iPhone and iPad
- Last updated Nov 2019
- Stencify: iPhone, iPad and Android
- Facts checked Oct 25, 2026
Written by the Stencify team. Facts about Tattoo Stencil come from its App Store listing, including its version history and public reviews, checked on Oct 25, 2026.
Stencify
$47.99/year
or $4.99 a week, two free uses first
- PlatformsiPhone, iPad and Android
- InputPhoto, sketch or text
- Free to try2 full uses
- Rating4.8 stars on the App Store
Best for artists who want control over line weight and contrast, text editing, try-on and print-ready export, on Apple or Android devices.
Stencify ahead on 7 of 11 features
Tattoo Stencil
$0.99 once
no in-app purchases
- PlatformsiPhone and iPad
- Last updateVersion 2.1, Nov 13, 2019
- Free to tryNo, paid upfront
- Rating4.0 stars on the App Store
Best for an iPhone or iPad user who wants a simple stencil tool for less than a dollar and does not need ongoing updates.
Our verdict: Stencify, unless price is the only factor. Tattoo Stencil is cheap and simple, but it has not been updated since 2019 and runs only on Apple devices. Stencify adds line controls, text input, editing, try-on and Android support.
Side by side
Same 11 features for both apps. Teal check: that app is ahead. Grey check: has it. Red cross: not offered or not listed. Stencify ahead on 7, even on 2, Tattoo Stencil ahead on 2.
Facts checked on Oct 25, 2026 from the Tattoo Stencil App Store listing (id1360608609) and a Google Play search. Prices change; check the store before you buy.
Where Stencify is stronger
- Control over the result. Line weight and contrast controls let you tune the stencil for fine line, bold work or a soft reference.
- More ways in. Start from a photo, a sketch or a written description.
- Edit by text. Type the change you want instead of starting the stencil over.
- Print-ready export: PNG or PDF for A4 or US Letter, on thermal or inkjet printers.
What Tattoo Stencil does better
- Price. $0.99 once, with no subscription and no in-app purchases.
- Simplicity. One task, few settings, which reviewers say makes quick linework for walk-ins easy.
- Manual touches. It added an image crop feature in 2018 and a drawing feature in 2019.
- Wide device support on Apple hardware, back to iOS 10.3.
Age matters for an app like this
Tattoo Stencil's version history shows steady work in 2018 and 2019: support for all iOS devices, image cropping, then a drawing feature and iPad fixes in version 2.0, and a final enhancement release in November 2019. Nothing has been released since. An app that has not been updated in six years can still work, but there is no sign of new features, and support for future versions of iOS is not something you can count on.
The public reviews give a fair picture of what it does well and where it struggles. Reviewers praise how quickly it produces linework. One reviewer wished the output were vectorized so they could fill and shade within the lines, and another noted that results can look dotty unless the reference has hard, bold lines.
Where the extra cost goes
Stencify costs more: $4.99 a week or $47.99 a year in the US, after two free uses. What that buys is control and range. You can adjust line weight and contrast for the style you are working in, start from a sketch or a text description instead of only a photo, change the stencil by typing a prompt, preview it on skin with AI try-on, and export a PNG or PDF sized for A4 or US Letter. It also runs on Android, which Tattoo Stencil does not.
If your references already have clean, strong lines and you make stencils only occasionally, a $0.99 app may be enough. For daily work or soft photos, the controls are what make the output usable without redrawing it.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Stencify if you need consistent results from varied references, want to edit and preview before printing, or work on Android.
Pick Tattoo Stencil if you are on iPhone or iPad, want the cheapest possible option, and are comfortable with an app that has not changed since 2019.
Compare them on the same reference
Run a soft, low-contrast photo through Stencify's two free uses and check the lines at print size. Stencify is on the App Store and Google Play.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Tattoo Stencil app last updated?
Its App Store version history lists version 2.1, released on Nov 13, 2019, as the most recent update, as of Oct 25, 2026.
How much does the Tattoo Stencil app cost?
It is a one-time $0.99 purchase on the App Store, with no in-app purchases. Stencify offers two free uses, then $4.99 a week or $47.99 a year in the US.
Is Tattoo Stencil available on Android?
No Google Play listing from its developer, Pony Lawson LLC, was found as of Oct 25, 2026. It is listed for iPhone and iPad. Stencify runs on iPhone, iPad and Android.
Is this the same app as Tattoo Stencil Pro?
No. Tattoo Stencil by Pony Lawson LLC is a separate app. We compare Stencify with Tattoo Stencil Pro on its own page.
Other comparisons
Related reading
- Best Tattoo Stencil Apps in 2026 - the current field compared
- How to Make a Tattoo Stencil From a Picture - the workflow both apps serve
- How to Make a Realism Tattoo Stencil - when references are soft
- Stencify vs Tattoo Stencil Pro - a different app with a similar name
More control than a one-tap converter
Stencify gives you line weight, contrast, text edits and try-on, on iPhone, iPad and Android.
