Linea Sketch Reviews

While I enjoyed using LineaSketch for its straightforward user interface and tools, I’ve decided to jump ship after the recent announcement that LineaSketch is changing to a subscription model. To add insult to injury, customers who bought LineaSketch in 2018 (I got it in late 2018) or earlier will lose access to LineaSketch they paid for without either a refund, grandfathering or a free year. I started using Linea as a replacement for 53 Paper, though at least Paper’s developers had the decency to allow previous customers to reclaim their purchase without adding yet another sub. Why these people feel it’s acceptable to rent art tools, I don’t know. I deleted LineaSketch , since I won’t qualify for any discounts and refuse to support this business model. If it were part of Apple Arcade, something required for work, or a continually developing service, I’d do it, but it isn’t. The sub price is low, but it’s the principle that counts.

I feel like a victim of a bait and switch. At least let us use what we’ve paid for!

LineaSketch is very simple and reliable, it is particularly similar to that of Microsoft Paint. But there is one issue that I’ve noticed when using LineaSketch. When creating my drawing especially outlining drawing, I tend to notice that the boldness of the drawing tends to bolden by itself without modifying the cursor size. I have especially noticed this when re-arranging/re-sizing and positioning outlined drawings, the outline sometimes tends to look thicker than the other drawings. Also when using the color fill-in option, the colors don’t fully fill in every corner or the color fill has some color errors. Perhaps the developer should make the color fill-in option more precise and refined. Other than that, LineaSketch is awesome.

I drew a scene from my forthcoming book with Linea, so that I could get it out out of my head and describe it accurately to my audience. From there, I was hooked. Linea is a expertly-developed app (hey, that’s what the Iconfactory does!) that you can use efficiently even if you’re not an expert. I used to draw stick figures, but, like other apps from this developer it’s an engaging app that is simply fun to use! Before you know it, you’ve got a canvas full of your drawings!

People that are upset with subscriptions will likely complain, but like anything in this world - if you want quality, and if it saves you time, money, or frustration - you should probably be paying for it. Linea is a wonderful, easy to use drawing app that you should check out.

After spending two days FALLING IN LOVE with this beautiful, easy to use program, I’m sadly continuing my search for the perfect, SIMPLE drawing app. I’ve been a Paper by 53 user for years, due to its basic, realistic features...but their refusal to add layers and a better zoom feature has me searching for something better. I was SURE I’d found it in Linea Sketch, but the lack of a blend/smudge tool and a BASIC watercolor brush has ended my time with your app. I should’ve done a bit more research before spending money on this - but I (quite literally) got GOOSEBUMPS when LineaSketch came to my attention. I was sure that my search had ended. Alas! It wasn’t to be, and I’m back to wasting precious sketch time trying to find a drawing app that doesn’t take a Photoshop genius to use.
PLEASE consider adding a blending tool (and a real watercolor “brush”, not just pencils and markers)! I now know I’m not the only one that has been disappointed.
Thanks!

UPDATE: While I appreciate your response (and your continuing desire to change this program to meet the needs of its users), I won’t be using Linea Sketch at this time. The smudge tool and watercolor brush are essential for the projects I work on (not just a hobby).
If you will, PLEASE send me a response when these tools are added. I will try Linea Sketch again!

I have 2 young sons ages 6 and 8 that constantly like to draw. They fill up all drawing tablets and notebooks that we get them and turn to raiding our printer for more paper. I introduced LineaSketch to them and it’s been great for the environment and for the mess of half used sketch and doodle papers spread throughout our house. I also use it to easily help show them math concepts and other things. LineaSketch layout is well thought out, enough so that my boys have no problem navigating and using even the otherwise more advanced features. I have a slough of other well known art apps and they have their place, but this one is my most often used one if anything for how my boys and I can enjoy drawing together easily.

The only reason I purchased LineaSketch was because I assumed when it said turn on and off paper texture that meant it would mimic the sound of writing on real paper. I already have an app that does this but is for sketch only and I was hoping I would be able to use this as my note taker.

I would have given higher review if it had this one feature everything else seems ok

Linea strikes a perfect balance of features and usability. It has just enough drawing tools that I don't t feel stifled and not so many they feel like a gimmick. The interface feels comfortable, so that drawing with the Apple Pencil is responsive, the pressure is well represented without force, and erasure with a finger is natural as rubbing something off the page. This is so much better than toggling between modes. Likewise, if my wrist rests on the display, it doesn't mess up my drawing.

LineaSketch offers layering, importing of images for reference or tracing, blend modes, and a clever draw-and-hold to get straight lines with a repositionable endpoint. Exporting is trivial, making this tool a nice solution to any step in a workflow.

I paid $10 for Linea a few years ago when I was teaching a lot of courses. At the time Linea worked okay for a digital whiteboard that I cast to a screen. It was far from the best drawing app but it worked okay for that purpose. But now Linea has removed features that I previously paid for. If you read through their responses to reviews they claim it’s because they need more money, and they will happily take your $30 for a new one-time purchase. But since they will happily revoke features at any time, you’d have to be a fool to give them $30. Stay away from this developer. They should have grandfathered in people who did previous one-time purchases. If you’re looking for an alternative, check out Concepts. It’s been a much better whiteboard app for me.

If the developer wants to move to a subscription model, fine, that's up to them (I just won't buy their app). But to take away the full, paid-for version from existing customers and replace it with a trial version unless they subscribe — is that even legal? It's certainly not ethical. I literally just bought LineaSketch, haven't had a chance to use it, and now am informed that in a few months they'll be taking away my paid-in-full app and replacing it with the free version. And it looks there’s no warning on the AppStore page to new customers that this is happening. In their words: “ ‘Let Me Keep Using The Old Version!’ In our opinion, leaving an old version of LineaSketch to die on LineaSketch Store is irresponsible ... If you still don't agree, then feel free to export your work and move on.” Nice.

Simple and not over done…. Just right to work on a mobile device. I don’t draw or sketch. I use Linea to take amazing looking notes at work. It makes handwriting look like pen to paper. I do wish it had the ability to create a project folder where the canvas “paper” was continuous just for notes with no canvas rotation… or you publish a new app “Linea Notes” with your amazing (but simple) interface geared for note taking. Regardless, you guys got LineaSketch just right for a handheld device. I’m sue the folks who can draw and sketch will love it and it is great for taking notes.

I am so disappointed. Secondly, I see developer doesn’t respond to neg. reviews.
I never did purchase LineaSketch because I could only get a few of the utensils to work. I thought when I figured the whole program out it would be quite usable and I would upgrade…NOT happening. I’m not an artist but I draw for stress relief. That has ended—unless I’m mistaken -which I hope is the case.
My complaint? ALL my sketches are ruined because I cannot remove the watermarks which have suddenly appeared on all my work.I think that is just a really mean way to treat the people who have tried your program. I’m so disappointed. Tell me there is a quick fix and I will “upgrade” this review!
If you want to have control over your art work skip on by this program!

I am SO in love with the fact it’s all free and it has a ton of brushes and color options! I also can see all the hard work put into LineaSketch, you did awesome! The fact it has layers for free is the icing on the cake. So many other artist apps charge for layers! I can totally feel the message from LineaSketch is ‘art should be free for everyone’. I have tried SO many drawing apps that want you to log in or want your money or are a total scam, but not LineaSketch! Keep doing what you are doing and making art free for all! This is my honest review, thank you for your time

When i purchased this program it was a one time purchase without a mention of subscription. Now it’s subscription based and I can’t export my artwork from May 2020 without a water mark. Typical practice for such a dramatic license change is release a new version separate from the old version. The old version’s feature set is frozen and the new version is the one actively developed. Another common model is to reward those who supported the development of the software by grandfathering in their existing license. I have never experience such a desperate dishonest move from a developer before. Would not trust the longevity of the this product or the studio that developed it. I will actively suggest to my fellow artist to not support The Iconfactory.

I use LineaSketch with a stylus on my iPad Pro for our family DND campaigns. Projecting the map on the big screen tv over AirPlay is fantastic. I can draw the rooms of the dungeon, monsters, players etc and use the layers and the selecting took to quickly pick up monsters or players and slide them around the map with ease. Being able to draw with the stylus and erase with my finger is great, as are the grid options (which makes 5 or 10 ft corridors much easier for everyone to instantly grasp.

I’m happy to have bought LineaSketch, and for the enjoyment and ease it provides I’ll be happy to renew the subscription.

My preschooler is always asking what is above/below him in our two-story house. I got the idea of taking rough measurements of our rooms and sketching them out in Linea, using layers, to show him.

Linea made this easy by having the grid template, and its intuitive ZipLine feature, which allows you to make perfectly straight lines by holding at the end of a stroke.

Eventually I realized I needed to shimmy the entire “house” a little bit to make more room. I used the scissor tool to select my drawing on the current layer, expecting to have to repeat that very carefully for all other layers. Linea was smart enough to automatically select all layers, and offer convenient checkboxes to turn off layers I don’t want to move.

All of Linea is so intuitive, and as a fellow iOS developer, I don’t understand how they can get so much functionality out of so little chrome.

What a phenomenally well done app; Iconfactory knocked it out of the park.

As a former user of LineaSketch, I can confirm it is mediocre. There are like 5 brushes, non-customizable pallets, and a hard layer system. Asking $5 for this already was a stretch, especially with programs very similar like flipaclip being free. I recently got procreate, and it is worlds better. Not only is the interface much easier to figure out, they add updates frequently, have features like animation assist, tons of brushes,(which you can customize to your liking), and multiple color wheel options to make your palettes, and even able to edit photos. And to hear they they are making LineaSketch a subscription service, makes everything much worse considering procreate is a one time purchase.

I am an artist and illustrator and I find that no matter how many different drawing apps I try I always come back to this one. The pencil and blender brush are great and the fact that they finally added text and a watercolor brush make it indispensable for me as an artist. I know subscription fatigue is real but if I really like LineaSketch supporting it’s development is ok by me. And it’s is only 99 cents a month … most people spend more on a cup of coffee daily.

I know this is an overly glowing review but it truly is one of my favorites.

I love using Linea. It feels so natural, like I’m using paper. It’s no coincidence I’ve been drawing more since I started using Linea. I still use and love apps like Procreate, but they feel serious and complex.

Like a real set of markers and paper, Linea is not limitless: you only have a certain set of layers, pen sizes, etc. these constraints make it feel more tactile and less complicated. I actually only use the default Vibrant color set. Constraints are fun.

Thanks for building LineaSketch and I can tell a lot of time and attention goes into it.

It feels like I’ve tried *every* sketching app on the iPad. Linea is the one I keep coming back to because it’s the most intuitive I’ve found. During version 1, there were some missing pieces, but even with those missing tools, it was my chosen app.

Version 2 just added the missing pieces I was looking for. It sounds simple enough, but the addition of a selection and move tool makes an already-great app even better. Thanks and congratulations to the development team.

Finally, after years of trying so many other sketch apps this one is THE best !!! Easy to learn, very versatile, and as I grow into it LineaSketch shows me more. Very nicely done !!! I’ve gone back and dropped my old notes into LineaSketch and greatly spruced them up.
One item on my wish list would be a “text box” to make up for my lousy handwriting!! I know I can, and have, gone externally and capture text and drop it in but would be nice to be able to do it all in app.
Still, a magnificent app. Thanks

I initially downloaded LineaSketch when it was released as it had been reviewed so well for notes and sketch noting. I’m not much of an artist, just a napkin sketcher and LineaSketch makes it fun to just sit and sketch for a while. I primarily use it for notes and brainstorming as I don’t retain much when I try to type notes. LineaSketch has always been great for that, and the 2.0 update was a surprise to me and added so many great updates such as the select tool, split screen (great for notes) and the portrait orientation. If I could request one addition it would be the ability to export to .pdf. I have to figure out a workaround currently to get my notes to PDFs and it would be great to have that feature inbuilt.
All in all, this is an enjoyable app to use, simple yet functional. I have recommended to many others and would purchase again in a heartbeat.

The switch to subscription model is a slap in the face for people who previously bought LineaSketch (and especially for those who even contributed voluntary tips!). Please, do NOT respond to this review saying that we get a year worth of your subscription because that does not solve the problem: You tricked us into giving you money in exchange for a promise that you broke later on. This should not be legal! You have definitely lost my trust and probably many customers with this unethical move, especially when there are *far superior* one-time-purchase apps like ArtStudio Pro on the market.

Thank you for nothing.

Keep in mind that there are other ways of generating a steady flow of income such as: Locking new features behind individual in-app purchases or requiring users to buy a new full version with a new one time purchase on major releases.

This way users who want the new features can decide to pay for them and those who just want to stick to the features they previously BOUGHT will not lose access to them.

Everyone hates subscriptions and I think most users are so sick of it that they’d be more than happy to pay *significantly higher* prices up front or for one time in app purchases to support an app they love. At the very least you should have offered lifetime access to all current features for people who previously bought the full version of LineaSketch instead of just one year.

My only wish is for Linea to support iPad split-view. I love to have Pinterest or Safari open with the new floating multitasking view, but it covers some of the tools. I’d love to be able to dock LineaSketch side-by-side with others, like Procreate.

And I know this would be kinda outside the scope of simplicity, but with the new Drag and Drop in iOS 11, it would be cool if Linea supported dropping images in. For tracing or for moodboards or ideas or whatever else.

I really wanted to love Linea, but it is lacking in many areas. What I thought would be the killer feature turns out to be a gimmick - it does in fact do quick snap-to-line/shape transformations, but these remain bitmaps, and it does not do any freehand line smoothing. I foolishly thought that these features pointed to some vector component to LineaSketch . Beyond that, LineaSketch is a good drawing tool, I just have better ones already. My go-to is Tayasui Sketches Pro, which I find superior in pretty much every way. I haven’t deleted Linea (yet) but I see very few reasons to use it.

Edit: developers did what I have been asking for!!

Original: I love LineaSketch . Simple and very pencil centric style of drawing. I wish more variation on brush sizes and even more I wish to able able to import photo as layer so I can trace them or use as reference on the side. Split View is not fully supported so I can not have the picture open on SplitView either. Really hoping developer add this features and it will be a 5 Star review for me.

The only reason I purchased LineaSketch was because I assumed when it said turn on and off paper texture that meant it would mimic the sound of writing on real paper. I already have an app that does this but is for sketch only and I was hoping I would be able to use this as my note taker.

I would have given higher review if it had this one feature everything else seems ok

I bought an iPad Pro around Christmas and quickly bought all the sketching apps that I could in hops of finding the perfect one. Linea was the first one I downloaded, and I should have just stopped there and stopped buying more and more sketching apps that didn’t offer what I was looking for. This is the best drawing app, they have a great community on Instagram and also great support on Twitter.

Linea meets its goal of balancing simplicity and power. It’s fast, accurate, intuitive and beautiful. Perfect for iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. My go-to app for sketching, note-taking, UI/UX design and really anything I want to use my Apple Pencil for.

The new version only makes it better by adding split view, new templates, cut/paste, image import and the new ZipLine feature. LineaSketch may be the best value in LineaSketch Store.