Happy Color is one of the most popular coloring apps out there, especially for people who want a relaxing, no-thinking-required experience. It’s a classic paint-by-numbers app: you tap numbered sections, the app fills in the color for you, and you slowly watch detailed illustrations come to life. For many users, that simplicity is exactly the appeal.
But while Happy Color does a lot right, it’s not the only option—and it’s not perfect for everyone. Whether you’re looking for more creative control, fewer ads, different art styles, or a fresher experience overall, there are several strong alternatives worth considering. To help you decide, we ranked and reviewed the best Happy Color alternatives, comparing how they stack up in terms of features, content quality, and overall relaxation value.
1. ColoringHub
ColoringHub is a free, browser-based coloring website that keeps things simple and accessible. You can either download printable coloring pages or color directly online using the built-in coloring tool—no account, no sign-up, and no installation required.
The scale of the content is impressive. ColoringHub hosts 950+ articles, each with an average of 100+ coloring pages, totaling tens of thousands of free designs. That’s a level of variety you rarely see, especially without a paywall!
Content is neatly organized into three main sections: Kids, Kawaii, and Mandala & Patterns, making it easy to find something that fits your style or skill level. Categories range from animals and nature to holidays, florals, and many more collections.
The website works on any modern browser. The online coloring tool is currently best experienced on desktop, while mobile users can still browse and download printable PDFs without any issues.
The Online Coloring Tool
ColoringHub’s online coloring tool is designed to be straightforward and easy to use. The layout is clean, with tools on the left, controls along the top, and color options on the right, so nothing feels cluttered or confusing.
You’ll find essential tools like a fill bucket, several brush styles (brush, marker, splatter, highlighter, glitter), adjustable brush size and opacity, an eraser, pan and zoom controls, and undo/redo options. Finished pages can be downloaded or printed directly from the tool.
Color options are surprisingly flexible for a free platform. You can choose from preset palettes, build your own custom palettes, enter hex codes for precise colors, sample colors with an eyedropper, or use the randomizer for quick inspiration.
The tool is currently in Beta, and there’s an easy way to leave feedback if you want to help shape future improvements.
What Works Well
- Completely free access. No paywalls, subscriptions, or sign-ups required.
- Massive content library. Tens of thousands of coloring pages across many styles and themes.
- Two coloring options. Print at home or color digitally in your browser.
- Instant printable PDFs. Ideal for classrooms, families, and offline coloring.
- Simple but capable tools. Multiple brushes with size and opacity control.
- Smooth performance. Pages load quickly and coloring feels responsive.
- International-friendly. Multi-language support makes it accessible worldwide.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Best for single-session coloring. The online tool doesn’t save progress yet, so it works best when you can finish a page in one sitting.
- Desktop-focused coloring tool. Mobile users can browse and download easily, but online coloring is currently optimized for desktop.
- AI-assisted artwork. All illustrations are AI-generated, which may matter if you prefer exclusively hand-drawn designs.
- Ads help keep it free. You’ll see ads on the site, though they’re generally unobtrusive.
- Ongoing improvements. Since the tool is still in Beta, updates and refinements are actively in progress.
Bottom Line
ColoringHub shines as an open, no-commitment resource for free coloring content. With an enormous library, instant printable pages, and a browser-based coloring tool, it offers a level of accessibility that’s hard to beat.
It’s especially well-suited for quick coloring sessions, classroom use, or anyone who doesn’t want to install an app or create an account. While it doesn’t replace premium coloring apps with advanced tools or cloud saving, it doesn’t try to. Instead, it delivers massive variety, ease of use, and genuine value at zero cost.
If you want free coloring pages without barriers, ColoringHub is an easy win.
Best for: Free printable coloring pages, teachers and parents, browser-based coloring fans, quick one-session coloring, users who want instant access without accounts
Skip if: You need progress saving, want mobile-based coloring tools, prefer hand-drawn artwork only, or want advanced professional tools
2. Cozy Cottage Coloring: Chroma
Chroma is a polished coloring app designed for adults who want more control and better tools. You can color stroke by stroke using realistic pencils, markers, brushes, and watercolor tools, or use tap-to-fill if you prefer something quicker. Everything feels intentional, and the focus is on making digital coloring feel as close to traditional coloring as possible.
The app offers thousands of coloring pages across popular themes like mandalas, flowers, animals, fantasy, and portraits. You can also generate custom pages with AI, turn photos into coloring pages, color together with a friend in real time, and replay your entire coloring process as a short time-lapse video.
What Works Well
- High-quality tools. Brushes have realistic textures and adjustable thickness and opacity, so coloring feels natural instead of flat.
- Creative flexibility. Color inside the lines or go freehand, with gradients, textures, a full color wheel, and curated palettes.
- Time-lapse recording. Easily share your coloring process as a short video.
- Buddy coloring. Color the same page with someone else in real time.
- Community sharing. Post your work in the Chroma Gallery and connect with other artists.
- Apple Pencil support. Smooth, precise performance on iPad.
Things to Keep in Mind
- No free access. You must pay upfront—there’s no trial or limited free version.
- iOS only. Not available on Android devices.
- Some AI artwork. Not all illustrations are hand-drawn, which may not appeal to everyone.
Bottom Line
Chroma stands out for its professional-grade tools, realistic textures, and creative features like buddy coloring and time-lapse replays. While the lack of a free trial is a drawback, its high rating suggests most users feel the quality justifies the price.
Best for: iOS users, Apple Pencil users, adults who want premium coloring tools, and people who enjoy social or collaborative coloring.
Skip if: You want to try before buying, use Android, prefer free or freemium apps, or are budget-conscious.
3. Adult Coloring Book – Pigment
Pigment is known for its incredibly realistic pencil, marker, and paintbrush simulation, making it one of the closest digital experiences to traditional coloring. It’s designed for adults who want a more hands-on, artistic experience.
The app gives you access to over 10,000 professionally illustrated, hand-drawn pages from independent artists, with new content added daily. You can color using several modes: tap-to-fill for speed, freehand for full control, automatic for clean edges, and advanced mode for more precise work. Pigment also includes a short in-app tutorial to help new users get up to speed quickly.
What Works Well
- Highly realistic tools. Pencil, marker, and paintbrush strokes look and behave like real supplies.
- Huge content library. Over 10,000 pages with daily additions.
- Hand-drawn artwork. Pages are created by independent artists, not generic designs.
- Multiple coloring modes. Choose how much control you want, from automatic to advanced.
- Supportive community. Share work and explore tutorials in the Pigment Gallery.
- Apple Pencil support. Works smoothly with pressure and direction sensitivity.
- Beginner-friendly tutorial. Quick and helpful without being overwhelming.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Limited free tools. Many brushes are locked behind the premium subscription.
- Color tools require premium. Full-color wheels and custom palettes aren’t available to free users.
- Heavy premium push. The free version feels restrictive.
- iOS only. Not available on Android.
- Auto-renewal trial. Free trial converts to paid unless canceled.
Bottom Line
Pigment earns its strong reputation thanks to realistic tools, a massive hand-drawn library, and professional-level features. However, most of its best tools are locked behind a subscription, which can feel limiting for free users and pricey for casual colorists. If you color often and want top-tier realism, the premium plan makes sense—but occasional users may find it hard to justify.
Best for: iOS users serious about digital coloring, Apple Pencil users, adults who want realistic traditional coloring, and people willing to pay for premium tools.
Skip if: You’re on Android, want full features without paying, color only occasionally, dislike subscriptions, or prefer completely free apps.
4. Lake: Coloring Book
Lake: Coloring Book is designed as more than a coloring app—it’s a calm, creative space that blends coloring with wellbeing and community. The app focuses on hand-drawn art from independent artists and encourages mindful creativity rather than fast, casual coloring. The interface is clean and welcoming, and an in-app tutorial helps you get comfortable with the tools right away.
What sets Lake apart is its emphasis on quality and intention. You’ll find thoughtfully curated illustrations, realistic brush tools with shading and blending, and a rich color system with over 700 shades, mood-based palettes, a color picker, and an eyedropper.
What Works Well
- Beautiful hand-drawn artwork. All illustrations are created by independent artists.
- Artist support. Subscriptions directly support the artists behind the work.
- Strong brush tools. Realistic textures with size, opacity, shading, and blending controls.
- Video tutorials. Learn techniques instead of guessing.
- Fresh curated content. Monthly releases and Book of the Week challenges.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Very limited free access. The free version feels more like a trial than a free version.
- Subscription required. Full library and features are behind a paywall.
- iOS only. Not available on Android.
- Smaller library. Around 1,500 drawings—less than some competitors.
- Premium pricing. Costs more than basic coloring apps.
Bottom Line
Lake: Coloring Book stands out for its artist-first approach and wellbeing-focused design. The artwork quality is excellent, the tools feel refined, and features like ASMR sounds and mood palettes add depth to the experience. That said, it’s clearly a premium app with very limited free content and a smaller library, so it’s best suited for users who value curated, meaningful art and don’t mind paying for it.
Best for: iOS users who want to support independent artists, adults seeking mindful or wellbeing-focused coloring, people who prefer quality over quantity, and users who are comfortable with premium subscriptions.
Skip if: You’re on Android, want a lot of free content, prefer massive libraries, or are budget-conscious about subscriptions.
5. InColor
InColor moves beyond basic color-by-number by giving you full freedom to choose colors and paint however you like. It feels more like a real coloring and drawing app than a simple tap-to-fill experience. You’re actually painting, blending, and experimenting, which makes it appealing to more creative users.
The app includes an AI drawing generator that creates custom coloring pages based on your preferences, plus an active community where you can share your work and explore other users’ art. Freehand coloring is the core experience, with strong stylus support for detailed work. Color-by-number is available, but only with a pro account, and some features can be unlocked temporarily by watching ads.
What Works Well
- Real creative freedom. You choose your own colors and paint however you want. This makes the experience feel more like actual art than paint-by-numbers.
- Stylus-friendly. Handles detailed stylus work smoothly.
- Active art community. Share artwork and find inspiration.
- Fewer ads than most free apps. Ads are present but relatively manageable.
- Ad-based unlocks. Free users can access locked features by watching ads.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Heavy monetization. Free version frequently pushes upgrades.
- Key features behind a paywall. Color-by-number and advanced tools require a subscription or repeated ad watching.
Bottom Line
InColor shines in creative control, realistic painting mechanics, and personalization through AI-generated pages. While you can use it for free, the experience comes with ads and locked features that make upgrading feel inevitable. If you’re okay with ads or paying for pro, InColor offers a more artistic and flexible coloring experience than most apps.
Best for: Users who want full color freedom, stylus users who enjoy detailed work, and artists looking for a social digital coloring platform.
Skip if: You want completely free access with no ads, or you prefer simple paint-by-number coloring without creative choices.
6. Color Pop
Color Pop takes a more artistic approach than most coloring apps. Instead of relying on tap-to-fill, it offers real painting mechanics with tools like watercolor, oil paint, and blend brushes. The experience feels closer to digital art than casual coloring, especially if you like experimenting with textures and techniques.
What Works Well
- Advanced painting tools. Watercolor, oil, and blend brushes offer real creative control.
- Large content library. Plenty of pages and categories to explore.
- AI-generated pages. Create custom coloring pages on demand.
- Freehand drawing. Make original artwork, not just colored pages.
- Community feature. Share your work and get inspired by others.
- Line lock feature. Helpful for both precise and loose coloring styles.
- Smooth interface. Clean, polished, and easy to use.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Subscription required. You must subscribe to use the app; there’s no true free version.
- Ads during trial. Free trial includes frequent ads.
Bottom Line
Color Pop stands out for its painting-style tools, AI-generated pages, and creative flexibility beyond basic coloring. It’s best suited for users who enjoy digital art and don’t mind paying for ongoing access.
Best for: Adults who want advanced coloring and painting tools, users interested in AI-generated pages, and those comfortable with subscription apps.
Skip if: You want a free experience, dislike ads or subscriptions, or prefer simple tap-to-fill coloring.
7. Coloring Games: Color & Paint
Coloring Games: Color & Paint is a coloring app made specifically for young children. The interface is bright, playful, and easy to navigate, with cheerful sound effects that keep kids engaged as they color. Everything about the design feels intentional and age-appropriate.
The app offers several simple ways to color. Kids can tap to fill areas, drag their finger to paint, draw freely with basic tools, or follow paint-by-number prompts for guided coloring. The illustrations focus on familiar subjects like animals, toys, and simple shapes, making them easy and fun for little hands. Once installed, the app works fully offline, so kids can color anywhere without needing an internet connection.
What Works Well
- Completely ad-free. No interruptions or exposure to ads.
- No in-app purchases. All features are unlocked from the start.
- Educational value. Supports color recognition and fine motor skill development.
- Privacy-focused. Collects no user data and includes child-safe design choices.
- Multiple creative modes. Offers variety without overwhelming young users.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Strictly kid-oriented. The playful style and sound effects are designed for children, not adults.
- Simple artwork by design. Illustrations are intentionally basic rather than detailed or complex.
Bottom Line
Coloring Games: Color & Paint delivers a genuinely safe, ad-free, and fully unlocked coloring experience for children. It avoids common monetization traps while still offering enough variety to keep kids engaged. Parents can feel comfortable handing over a device without worrying about ads, purchases, or privacy issues.
Best for: Young children (preschool to early elementary), kids with special needs, and parents who value privacy and ad-free apps.
Skip if: You want adult-focused coloring, detailed designs, or advanced art tools.