1. Anime & Manga Coloring Book (iOS)
Available on iOS for both iPhone and iPad, there are more than three coloring pages in all for you to try. Try any of the images once, erase and start all over again. With Apple Pencil support on all current iPad models, you can get even more particular about your drawing and play with different colors again and again. Best of all, there is support for M1 Macs as well, though the drawing experience is undoubtedly better on a touchscreen.
2. Colorify: Free Coloring Book (Android)
An outstanding mandala-based coloring book on Android, Colorify: Free Coloring Book is a great, free option for everyone. There are a host of categories, including Exotic, Patterns, Zoological, Floral, Mandala, Animals, etc. Choose one of the included photos, pick your color and begin painting. There is no charge for anything within the app or download, so the focus is entirely on the coloring. Use gradients, pinch to zoom in and out and save your work to revisit later. Every drawing is offline, so you can save your work and come back in an hour or a week and pick up from where you left off.
3. Happy Color – Color by Number (Android)
This Android-based color-by-number app appropriately called Happy Color – Color by Number is one of the better-priced options on the Play Store. Featuring pictures in more than 40 categories, there are options for animals, flowers, art, birds and more. There are even a few mystery categories that the Play Store description hints at. As far as costs go, Happy Color is less expensive than most of its subscription-based competitors, offering in-app purchases ranging from $1.99 to $7.99. Some users did complain of ads popping, up but overall, the app is well-reviewed and has a wide range of options.
4. Pigment – Adult Coloring Book (iOS)
Available for iOS, Pigment – Adult Coloring Book offers a massive array of coloring opportunities. That includes not just a variety of mandalas, animals, and landscapes but also 21 different pencils, markers and brushes. On top of each illustration, Pigment users can utilize various markers, pencils and paintbrush strokes for as realistic or as unrealistic as they would like. And if you want to make things a little easier, there is even a “tap-to-fill” mode for going a little faster than traditional coloring methods.
5. Tayasui Color 2 (iOS)
A personal favorite, Tayasui Color 2 is one of the best coloring experiences on the App Store that doesn’t require a subscription. A one-time purchase of $1.99 nets you 18 original illustrations as well as a fill tool, color editor and color eyedropper. The toolset invites you to choose from a pencil, pastel, marker or watercolor, as you bring one of the designs to life. As a universal app, the app works across both iPhone and iPad and enables Apple Pencil support for a vastly more enjoyable drawing experience.
6. Color Therapy for Adults (Android)
Looking for a way to dive into zentangle drawing? Android users should grab Color Therapy for Adults right away. With 50 different images for coloring, you have an entire color palette at your disposal plus textures, stickers and filters as well. Want to draw in the dark? Night mode is there to help you rest your eyes – all while resting your mind. The app does enable ads to keep the free price tag, but that’s okay given the wonderful selection of zentangle shapes that are at your disposal. When you’re finished, feel free to share your results across social media directly from the app.
7. Coloring Book for Adults (iOS)
A free coloring app that includes flora, fauna, mandalas, animals, holidays, cars and more might sound too good to be true. Fortunately, it’s very much true and appears in the form of a Coloring Book for Adults on iPhone and iPad. The easy-to-use interface helps you jump right into any of the more than two dozen categories of drawings. Need help in the tiniest of corners? No problem, just zoom in when you are in landscape or vertical mode and keep the drawing going. There are no ads or additional costs to use any of the more than 850 pages of options.
8. Color by Number: Coloring Games (Android)
Do you think you can find the time to draw more than 10,000 color-by-number pictures? With Android’s Color by Number: Color Games app, you’re about to find out. Even with costs as high as $39.99 for the full app, you’re never without something to draw without paying a cent. Every day new images will appear that you can paint by number, with each picture said to take between one to two hours to complete. The categories are vast and include everything from the holidays, animals, flowers, plants, pets, mountains, lakes and so much more. The system is as good for adults as it is for kids,, with numbers helping you along every step of the way. Just pick your color choice and go.
9. Draw and Tell HD (iOS)
Draw and Tell HD is a great option for parents to help introduce drawing to children. It’s best for ages 3 through 9, and there are more than 32 different backgrounds across 22 different patterns ranging in shapes, styles and animals. Add to that more than 150 stickers that can be added on top of each picture and 60 plus stencil options on the iPad version of the app, and kids have enough to keep them occupied for hours. As part of Khan Academy’s dedication to education, the app is entirely free to use with no in-app purchases for parents to worry about their kids “accidentally” purchasing.
10. Kids Coloring Book (Android)
Another kid-friendly option for the Android crowd is the aptly named Kids Coloring Book. Offering more than 190 coloring pages, there is more than enough content to keep kids busy (and quiet) for hours on end. Coloring in alphabet letters helps introduce younger kids to the alphabet, while older kids will enjoy animals, fruits, vehicles and more. Tap-to-fill ensures that kids don’t have to worry about staying in the lines if they prefer not to freehand, and an “undo” option helps avoid any tears. There are a few in-app purchases to open the app’s full functionality, but they are limited to $0.99 each.
11. Anime Art (Android)
For the Android and anime fans out there, Anime Art is a great coloring book to use across all of your Android devices. Pick up your phone and create while you are waiting somewhere or just sitting on the couch. There are thousands of pictures to choose from, though unlocking many of them does require a potential fee. Numerous free options are available and added regularly with more unlocked by watching a few quick ads. There are dozens of colors to choose from, as well as paintbrushes, to help perfect your ideal anime image. If you’d rather color on your computer and not have to download a special app, check out these coloring websites.