# Best Paint My Cat alternatives for kids on iPhone and iPad (2026)

> The best Paint My Cat alternatives are Painto for children aged 2 to 8 who want to paint 3D characters and 2D pages, Crayola Create and Play for a broader creative app, Coloring Games: Painting, Glow for a free 2D option, Drawing for Kids for toddler coloring pages and Pok Pok for wordless open-ended play with a drawing toy. Parents look for alternatives mainly because of pricing: a Paint My Cat store review says an update put activities behind a subscription in an app the family had already bought, and that locked items were easy for children to tap. Painto is the closest match for 3D play: children paint the 3D character itself, spin it and watch it dance, and it works fully offline with no ads. Painto is new, and extra content needs a weekly, yearly or one-time lifetime purchase.

Updated 2026-11-02 by ODEL. Disclosure: ODEL makes Painto; other apps are listed on their merits.

| App | Best for | Platforms | Price | Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Painto (ODEL) | Children aged 2 to 8 who want to paint 3D characters and 2D pages | iOS | Free to download | n/a |
| Crayola Create and Play | A broad creative app with coloring, pets and puzzles | iOS, Android | Free to download | 4.3 (42,586 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Coloring Games: Painting, Glow | A free 2D coloring app with many modes | iOS | Free to download | 4.5 (7,523 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Drawing for Kids - Baby Games | Toddler coloring pages with many drawing tools | iOS | Free to download | 4.3 (637,952 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Pok Pok Play Room | Wordless open-ended play that includes a drawing toy | iOS, Android | Free to download | 4.7 (25,568 ratings, 2026-11-02) |

## 1. Painto: best for children aged 2 to 8 who want to paint 3D characters and 2D pages

- Paint a 3D character directly, spin it and watch it dance
- Ages 2-4: big targets, tap-to-fill, no reading; ages 5-8: color by number
- Works fully offline; no ads, no third-party trackers; parental gate on purchases
- One-time Lifetime purchase available ($29.99, US App Store, Nov 2026)

Limitations:
- Extra content needs a Weekly, Yearly or Lifetime purchase
- iPhone and iPad only, English only
- New app with few ratings

Link: https://www.odel.dev/app/painto
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/painto-3d-2d-kids-coloring/id6798511317

## 2. Crayola Create and Play: best for A broad creative app with coloring, pets and puzzles

- Coloring, glow art, pixel art and 3D designs such as dinosaurs
- Kids hatch, design and care for pets
- Editors' Choice on the App Store

Limitations:
- Subscription after a 7-day free trial; developer says non-subscribers get 7 minutes of play a day
- Large download

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crayola-create-and-play-kids/id1431955703
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1431955703, https://screenwiseapp.com/guides/best-creative-apps-for-preschoolers

## 3. Coloring Games: Painting, Glow: best for A free 2D coloring app with many modes

- Paint, color by number and doodle modes with child profiles
- Developer says free with no in-app purchases or third-party ads, and works offline

Limitations:
- Flat 2D pages, no 3D characters

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/coloring-games-painting-glow/id1480696573
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/-/id1480696573, https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9phq2rx60xgr

## 4. Drawing for Kids - Baby Games: best for toddler coloring pages with many drawing tools

- 176 coloring pages in 11 themes, with pencil, brush, crayon, chalk and more
- Store page says no ads and works without Wi-Fi
- Made for ages 0 to 5

Limitations:
- Only 6 animal pages are free; the rest are paid packs or a full-version purchase
- 2D only

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/drawing-for-kids-baby-games/id1001555097
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1001555097

## 5. Pok Pok Play Room: best for wordless open-ended play that includes a drawing toy

- Drawing is one of many play spaces, alongside Town, House and Blocks
- No ads and no written instructions, according to the store page

Limitations:
- Subscription after a free trial
- Not a dedicated coloring app

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pok-pok-montessori-preschool/id1550204730
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1550204730

## How we chose

- 3D or 2D coloring, and how the 3D part works
- Controls a 2 to 4 year old can use without reading
- Ads and how locked or paid items are shown to children
- Pricing model as stated on the store page or by the developer
- Offline play for travel

## Questions

### Why do parents look for a Paint My Cat alternative?

Mostly over pricing. A Paint My Cat store review says an update put activities behind a subscription in an already-bought app, and that locked items were easy for kids to tap. Painto and Drawing for Kids offer one-time purchase options; Coloring Games: Painting, Glow is free according to its developer.

### Which alternative is closest to Paint My Cat's 3D play?

Painto. Children paint a 3D character, spin it around and watch it dance. Crayola Create and Play also lists 3D designs such as dinosaurs.

### Which one is best for a 2-year-old?

Painto's ages 2-4 mode uses big targets and tap-to-fill with no reading, and Drawing for Kids is made for ages 0 to 5. Paint My Cat itself is made for ages 0 to 5.

### Which alternatives work offline?

Painto works fully offline. The store pages or developers of Coloring Games: Painting, Glow and Drawing for Kids also say they work without internet.