# Best coloring apps for kids on iPhone and iPad (2026)

> For most parents, the best kids coloring apps are Paint My Cat for toddlers who want a painted picture to turn into a 3D toy, Painto for children aged 2 to 8 who want to paint 3D characters directly and also use a 2D coloring book, and Coloring Games: Painting, Glow for a broad set of modes that its developer says is free. Paint My Cat is a long-running app made for ages 0 to 5, though a store review complains that an update put some activities behind a subscription. Painto offers tap-to-fill and big targets for ages 2 to 4, color-by-number for ages 5 to 8, works fully offline and has no ads; extra content uses a weekly, yearly or lifetime purchase, and it is a new app with few ratings.

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

| App | Best for | Platforms | Price | Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paint My Cat! Kids Painting | Toddlers who want their painting to become a 3D toy | iOS | Free to download | 4.5 (1,530 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Painto (ODEL) | Children aged 2 to 8 who want to paint 3D characters and 2D pages | iOS | Free to download | n/a |
| Coloring Games: Painting, Glow | Many coloring modes in one app, including glow and doodle | iOS | Free to download | 4.5 (7,520 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Crayola Create and Play | Preschoolers who like drawing mixed with other play | iOS, Android | Free to download | 4.3 (42,586 ratings, 2026-11-02) |

## 1. Paint My Cat! Kids Painting: best for toddlers who want their painting to become a 3D toy

- Color a picture and it becomes a 3D character to play with
- Guided for children who cannot read; Made for Ages 0-5 on the App Store

Limitations:
- A store review says an update added subscription-locked activities to an already-bought app
- Some reviewers ask for more places and content

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/paint-my-cat-kids-painting/id578516291
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/paint-my-cat-kids-painting/id578516291

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

- Paint real 3D characters, spin them around and watch them dance
- Ages 2-4: big targets, forgiving taps, tap-to-fill, no reading
- Ages 5-8: color-by-number mode, free pencil, eraser and zoom
- Works fully offline; no ads, no third-party trackers; parental gate on purchases

Limitations:
- Extra content needs a weekly, yearly or lifetime purchase
- iPhone and iPad only, English only
- New app with few ratings so far

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

## 3. Coloring Games: Painting, Glow: best for many coloring modes in one app, including glow and doodle

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

Limitations:
- Flat 2D pages rather than 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. Crayola Create and Play: best for preschoolers who like drawing mixed with other play

- Strong drawing tools for trying colours
- Also includes pet care games and puzzles; reviewers suggest it for car rides

Limitations:
- Coloring is one part of a wider app rather than the focus

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

## How we chose

- Controls a 2 to 4 year old can use without reading
- Enough challenge for older children, such as color by number
- Ads, pop-ups and how purchases are protected from children
- Whether it works offline for travel
- Pricing model as described on the store page

## Questions

### Which coloring apps let kids paint in 3D?

Painto and Paint My Cat both involve 3D characters. In Painto children paint the 3D character directly and spin it around; in Paint My Cat a colored picture becomes a 3D character to play with.

### Which kids coloring app works offline?

Painto works fully offline, and the developer of Coloring Games: Painting, Glow also says its app works offline. Check other apps' store pages before travelling.

### What is a good coloring app for a 2-year-old?

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

### Which coloring app has color by number for kids?

Painto has a color-by-number mode for ages 5 to 8, and Coloring Games: Painting, Glow includes a color-by-number mode too.