# DrawRef vs FilePiP

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DrawRef at none against FilePiP's 3. DrawRef also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 61%). FilePiP's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 9 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FilePiP sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. DrawRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for DrawRef against 4.7 for FilePiP. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 102 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of DrawRef's written reviews are positive against 61% of FilePiP's.

DrawRef ships an update every 9 months, FilePiP weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DrawRef | FilePiP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawref/id1446586198/reviews)** | [4.7 (102 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filepip-pdf-timer-photos/id1593145001/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 70 | **102** |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 60.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Vasilii Sverchkov](https://appshunter.io/developer/638740211) | [Actowise LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1563247119) |

## What reviewers say

### DrawRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawref/id1446586198)

This utility app helps artists by displaying drawing references in a picture-in-picture mode. It allows you to easily access your gallery, select an image, and overlay it on your screen while using your preferred drawing application. You can resize, reposition, and even hide the reference image to optimize your workspace.

**Highlights:** Picture-in-picture reference display, Instant gallery access, Selectable reference image parts, Adjustable reference image position, Scalable reference image

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### FilePiP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filepip-pdf-timer-photos/id1593145001)

This utility app allows you to multitask by displaying documents and media in a Picture in Picture mode on your iPhone. Seamlessly view PDFs, photos, videos, and even a timer alongside other applications.

**Highlights:** Picture in Picture mode for documents, View PDFs in PiP, Photo slideshow in PiP, Video playback in PiP, Timer in PiP, No ads

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Lifetime | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pro Lifetime | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pro Lifetime | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DrawRef free?

DrawRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FilePiP free?

FilePiP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, DrawRef or FilePiP?

DrawRef is rated higher. DrawRef averages 4.7 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while FilePiP averages 4.7 from 102 ratings.

### Do DrawRef or FilePiP have ads?

Neither DrawRef nor FilePiP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DrawRef or FilePiP?

DrawRef ships an update every 9 months, and FilePiP weekly. Most recently, DrawRef was updated on November 2, 2026 and FilePiP on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*