The short version
- For kids 6 to 8 who want to color their own photos: Color Cafe. It's ours, so weigh that, but it's the one we built for exactly this.
- For little brothers and sisters under 6: Color Tap. It's free, has no ads, and its label says it collects no data.
- For a big library of ready-made kid pictures: Pazu's Color by Number Games for Kids, made for ages 6–8. Read the subscription terms first.
- The most popular color by number apps carry ads and are rated 13+ or 18+ on the App Store. They're made for grown-ups.
How we compared them
We looked at what a parent can check on the App Store listing itself: the age rating, whether the app shows ads, what it sells, and what its privacy label says. We read each listing on November 1, 2026. We didn't rank apps by how fun they are. Your kid will tell you that in about five minutes.
The comparison
| App (maker) | Age rating | Ads | Purchases (US) | Data, per its privacy label | Offline | Your own photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color Cafe (Coplay Club) ours | Built for the Kids category, ages 6–8 | None | 10 free pictures, then $4.99/month or $39.99/year after a 7-day free trial; Family Sharing | Collects nothing (privacy policy) | Yes | Yes, camera or Photos |
| Color Tap (Great Scott AB) | 4+, Made for Ages 0–5 | None | Free, no in-app purchases | Data Not Collected | Not checked | No |
| Color by Number Games for Kids (Pazu) | 4+, Made for Ages 6–8 | Unclear: the subscription is described as ad-free | Pazu PLUS $9.99/month; $59.99 subscription; unlocks $5.99 to $35.99 | Data linked to you; uses include advertising and analytics | Not checked | No |
| Color by Number (Ivan Samodurov) | 4+ | Yes (Remove Ads costs $9.99) | $3.99/week, $7.99/month, $39.99/year | Data used to track you | Not checked | Some reviews say yes; the description doesn't |
| Pixel Art: Color by Number (Easybrain) | 13+ | Yes | $7.99/week, $14.99/month, $46.99/year | Data used to track you | Not checked | Yes, Pixel Art Camera |
| Paint by Number (Wildlife Studios) | 13+; labels for user-generated content and social media | Yes | Paint Premium $9.99 or $24.99; a $99.99 item | Data used to track you | Not checked | Not on the listing |
| Happy Color (X-Flow) | 18+ | Yes; the $7.99 Remove ads tier keeps hint ads | Premium $9.99/month or $49.99/year; packs $1.99 | Data used to track you | Not checked | Not on the listing |
Checked on the US App Store on November 1, 2026. Prices and labels change, so check the listing before you buy. Privacy labels are what each developer reports to Apple. "Not checked" means we didn't test it, so we're not guessing.
The apps, one by one
Color Cafe (ours)
Your kid takes a photo, and Color Cafe turns it into a numbered pixel picture with 8 to 18 colors and 32 × 32 to 128 × 128 squares. There are four styles and a time-lapse replay at the end. It has no ads, no social features, and no accounts, and it works offline. Photos stay on the device. It's made for iPhone, iPad, and iPhone Duo.
The first 10 pictures are free. Color Cafe Unlimited is $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year after a 7-day free trial, and Family Sharing covers every kid in the family. It's designed with my kids.
Color Tap
A pixel art coloring app from Great Scott AB in Sweden. It's free, with no ads and no in-app purchases, and its privacy label reads Data Not Collected. It's labeled Made for Ages 0–5 and uses ready-made pictures, so it suits younger kids best. It doesn't import photos.
Color by Number Games for Kids (Pazu)
Labeled Made for Ages 6–8, with ready-made pictures. Pazu PLUS is $9.99 a month, and the subscription covers Pazu's other games too. Its privacy label lists data linked to you, including identifiers and usage data. Some reviews mention hitting a daily limit before paying.
The big grown-up apps
Happy Color, Easybrain's Pixel Art, and Wildlife's Paint by Number are the best known. Each one shows ads and lists data used to track you. They're rated 18+, 13+, and 13+. Easybrain's Pixel Art does have a camera feature for coloring your own photos. Ivan Samodurov's Color by Number is rated 4+, shows ads, and offers a weekly plan.
Check any app in two minutes
- Scroll the App Store listing to Age Rating. Look for a "Made for Ages" label, which only Kids category apps get.
- Look for Contains Advertising or "Remove ads" in the in-app purchases list.
- Open In-App Purchases. Weekly plans and coin packs are a sign the app is built around spending.
- Read App Privacy. "Data Not Collected" is the best answer. "Data Used to Track You" is the one to think about.
Want the longer version? Read are color by number apps safe for kids?