To turn photos into sketches, choose an app for the kind of drawing you want. Prisma is our first pick for exploring art styles. Photo Sketch Maker and Pencil Photo Sketch focus on pencil effects, while Clip2Comic suits comic-style pictures and videos.
You don’t need to draw by hand. Import a photo, choose an effect, then save the result. But check the export before you spend time editing: a free download does not guarantee every filter, a watermark-free image, or full-resolution saving.
The nine choices below include iPhone and Android options. We checked developer and app-store information for this update. We have not run a new side-by-side test. Features can differ between platforms, and the original screenshots may show older interfaces.
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9 Best Apps to Turn Photos into Sketches
Start with the result you want. A pencil effect keeps the focus on lines and shading. A cartoon effect gives you a more stylized face or scene. A watercolor effect is a painting treatment, so it won’t give you the same result as a graphite sketch.
Compare two styles on the same photo before choosing an app. That tells you more about the result you want than a download total or store rating.
1. Prisma
| Brand |
Brand
Prisma Labs
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
iOS and Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.5*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
50M+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
500+ art filters and effects, a new art filter every day, editing tools, background blur tools
|
Prisma is a good starting point if you want to try several art treatments on a photo. Its developer lists more than 500 styles, including painting and drawing looks, on both iPhone and Android. Choose it for variety rather than a single pencil effect.
The library includes portrait styles as well as treatments for the whole image. Start with a photo that has a clear subject, then compare a restrained sketch with a stronger painted effect.
On iPhone, Prisma’s portrait segmentation lets you apply a style to the person or background separately. Its background editor also helps with changing a photo’s background, using a template or another image from your phone.
The main limit is access. The iPhone listing puts the complete style library and HD saving in Prisma Premium. Check whether the style and export you want are included before you subscribe.
2. ToonMe
| Brand |
Brand
Informe Laboratories
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
iOS and Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.4*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
100M+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
Hundreds of art filters, AI portrait tools, background remover, social media integration
|
ToonMe is the choice here for cartoon portraits and illustrated profile pictures. Its developer describes an AI process built around taking or uploading a selfie. That makes its purpose more specific than turning every kind of photograph into a pencil drawing.
Choose a portrait with a visible face and try a template that matches the look you want. A bold cartoon avatar is a different goal from a lightly shaded sketch.
The Android listing also includes background replacement, text, animation, and beauty filters. Those extras suit a finished profile picture, but you don’t need to use all of them for a simple cartoon.
ToonMe has paid features, and its Android listing includes ads. Preview the effect before committing to a subscription. For a landscape or a still life, start by comparing the dedicated sketch apps below instead of assuming a portrait template will fit.
3. Photo Sketch Maker
| Brand |
Brand
Aero Tools
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.0*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
10M+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
Variety of sketch styles, in-app camera, freestyle drawing with pencil tools
|
Photo Sketch Maker is a direct option for Android users who want pencil effects. The linked app is from Aero Tools. Its listed styles include pencil, hard pencil, color pencil, and watercolor sketch.
The developer’s workflow is short: choose a photo from the gallery or camera, crop it if needed, apply an effect, then save or share. You can also choose a pencil color.
Try the ordinary pencil treatment first. Then compare hard pencil for stronger definition or color pencil if the original colors help separate your subject from the background.
The linked Google Play app contains ads and in-app purchases. Use the same photo to compare its effects with the other sketch apps before choosing.
Download: Android
4. Canva
| Brand |
Brand
Canva
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
iOS and Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.7*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
500M+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
Sketch and art filters, photo effects, editing tools, document editing tools
|
Canva makes sense when the sketch is part of a larger design. You can turn the image into an illustration, then place it in a card, poster, or social post with text and other elements.
Start from Canva’s photo-to-sketch tool. Its feature page offers an image upload and shows ways to customize the converted sketch. Check the tool available in your account before following instructions written for a different Canva interface.
Canva also has a photo grid and photo collage maker. Those are reasons to choose it if you want to arrange the finished sketch alongside other photos, rather than export one image on its own.
The iPhone and Android apps cover a much wider range of design work. That is the trade-off: there is more to navigate than in a dedicated sketch converter. Check the access requirements for the effect and any design assets you use before making the final export.
5. Pencil Photo Sketch
| Brand |
Brand
Minerva Studios
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
iOS and Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.5*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
50M+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
Variety of sketch filters, drawing tools, simple interface, social media integration
|
Pencil Photo Sketch is worth comparing with Photo Sketch Maker for a pencil or outline effect. The two download links below lead to Minerva Studios apps: Pencil Photo Sketch Editor on Apple’s store and Pencil Sketch Photo Editor on Google Play.
Their names differ, so check the developer as well as the icon when you install. The listings include pencil, outline, cartoon, and colored drawing styles.
The current apps offer adjustment controls: the iPhone version includes brightness, contrast, blur, and sharpening, while the Android instructions include brightness, contrast, and texture depth.
Check saving options before you edit. The iPhone listing names HD export and watermark removal as paid features. The Android listing describes rewarded-ad and premium routes for export or watermark removal. The access rules are not identical on both platforms.
6. Clip2Comic: Toon Photo Editor
| Brand |
Brand
Digital Masterpieces
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
iOS
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.8*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
100K+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
Many art, sketch, cartoon and comic style filters, video editing tools, local editing tools
|
Clip2Comic is the specialist here for comic, cartoon, and poster effects. The linked app, from Digital Masterpieces, works on iPhone and iPad; its current listing also includes Mac. It has sketch styles as well as bold comic treatments.
Choose it when you want to carry the same illustrated look into a video. The developer lists photo and video conversion, with controls for outlines, detail, and color.
Retouching tools let you work with a finger or an Apple Pencil on a compatible device. Use them to adjust distracting details instead of accepting every part of the first conversion.
The developer lists video output up to 4K. If you bring in footage from 4K cameras, check that your clip imports correctly before editing a full sequence. Resolution alone does not establish file compatibility.
The download is free with in-app purchases. Check which effects and export options are included in the version you install. The link below is for Apple devices; it is not an Android download.
Download: iOS
7. Watercolor Effects & Filters
| Brand |
Brand
qnisoft
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
Android (qnisoft). The linked iOS alternative is a separate app by Whistle Studios
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.1*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
500K+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
qnisoft Android app: People and scene modes and watercolor photo filters. Separate Whistle Studios iOS app: watercolor, oil, modern and contemporary effects
|
Watercolor effects are a different choice from a pencil sketch. They suit a painted portrait or scene, where color and washes matter more than a crisp outline.
The two download links below lead to different apps. The Android app is Watercolor Effects & Filter from qnisoft. The iPhone app is Watercolor Effect Art Filters from Whistle Studios. Similar names do not mean matching tools.
The qnisoft Android app lists People and Scene modes, a smear effect, and controls for lightness, paper, color, and detail. Its developer also lists Full HD export.
The Whistle Studios iPhone app describes watercolor alongside oil-painting, modern, and contemporary treatments. Do not expect its interface or People and Scene modes to match the Android app.
Both listings include in-app purchases, and the Android listing includes ads. Check the exact app and saving options on your device before choosing it for a project.
8. Photo Paint: Painting Maker
| Brand |
Brand
GeniusTools Labs
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
4.2*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
1M+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
Strong selection of art filters and photo effects, easy to use interface, social media integration
|
Photo Paint: Painting Maker is an Android option for paint-like treatments. The linked app is currently listed by GeniusTools Labs. Its features include brushstroke and watercolor effects, taking or cropping a picture, and saving to the gallery.
It fits a simple task: choose a photo and compare a few painting styles. It also lets you use the result as wallpaper or share it.
Look at the preview at full size before saving. A brushstroke treatment may suit broad shapes and color, while a pencil effect may be a better fit when you want recognizable fine detail.
The Google Play listing includes ads and in-app purchases. We have not retested its interface for this update, so the older screenshot should not be treated as a guide to the current button layout.
Download: Android
9. MyEdit
| Brand |
Brand
CyberLink
|
| Supported Devices |
Supported Devices
iOS and Android
|
| Price |
Price
Free with in-app purchases
|
| User Rating |
User Rating
3.2*
|
| No. of Downloads |
No. of Downloads
500K+
|
| Key Features |
Key Features
AI Sketch for pencil and oil-paint looks, 30+ AI art styles, AI object removal and replace, image to video
|
The app linked here is now listed as MyEdit by CyberLink. The original screenshot below carries its older Vivid AI name. Use the download links to identify the app rather than searching only for that older name.
For this task, look for AI Sketch. Both current store descriptions list it for turning photos into pencil drawings, oil paintings, and other art treatments.
MyEdit also lists object removal, replacement, background tools, and image-to-video features. Those extras are relevant if you want to continue editing after making the sketch; they are not required for a pencil effect.
Do not assume that calling a tool AI makes its sketch more accurate. Compare the result with your original, especially around eyes, hands, text, and objects you need to keep recognizable.
Both store listings include in-app purchases and describe a Premium subscription. Check access to AI Sketch and the export you need before paying. Try the effect on your own photo before choosing a plan.
How to Turn a Photo Into a Sketch
The exact buttons differ, but use this short process to compare the apps:
- Choose one clear photo. Start with a sharp subject and a simple background. Crop out clutter before converting it.
- Pick the drawing style. Compare a soft pencil effect with an outline or ink look. Keep the same source photo so you can see what each treatment changes.
- Adjust the result. Where the app provides controls, reduce harsh outlines or excessive contrast. Check eyes, hair, and small objects at full size.
- Save a sample. Check its dimensions and look for a watermark. A good preview is not proof that the saved file has the resolution you need.
Keep the original file. If the result changes a face or removes a detail you wanted, try another effect or a different source photo. For a print, inspect the exported file before ordering a large copy.
Conclusion
Start with Prisma if you want to explore art styles, or compare Photo Sketch Maker and Pencil Photo Sketch for pencil effects. Choose Clip2Comic for comic-style video, or Canva when the sketch needs a layout and text around it.
Choose by the saved result. Try the same photo, check the details, and confirm the export limits before paying. That gives you a better basis for choosing than the size of an app’s filter library alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you turn a photo into a sketch for free?
Some apps let you try sketch effects without paying, but a free download does not guarantee every style or an unrestricted export. Check whether the saved image has a watermark and whether the resolution you need requires an upgrade. For example, Minerva’s Android listing describes rewarded-ad and premium options for export and watermark removal.
Which app makes the most realistic pencil sketch?
Start by comparing Photo Sketch Maker on Android with Minerva’s Pencil Photo Sketch apps. Both list pencil effects, but we have not run a new comparison that establishes one as the most realistic. Use the same portrait in each and inspect the eyes, hair, shading, and background before choosing.
Do these apps work on both iPhone and Android?
Prisma, ToonMe, Canva, Minerva’s Pencil Photo Sketch apps, and MyEdit have links for both systems. The linked Photo Sketch Maker and Photo Paint apps are Android downloads, while Clip2Comic’s link is for Apple devices. The two watercolor links are different apps from different developers, so do not assume their features match.
Do you need a good photo to start with?
A sharp, well-lit photo with a clear subject is a better starting point than a dark or blurred picture. Crop out a busy background and compare the result with the original. A sketch effect can change the appearance of detail, so do not assume it has recovered information that was missing from the photo.
