DrawRef vs Pip
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DrawRef
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.
- Picture-in-picture reference display
- Instant gallery access
- Selectable reference image parts
- Adjustable reference image position
- Scalable reference image
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DrawRef suits your needs perfectly if you use references while drawing. The app is designed to save your time and effort by focusing on what really matters in your art process. With DrawRef you can finally stop using a split screen mode and enjoy a picture-in-picture view of your drawing references. DrawRef allows you to save screen real estate for reference images while drawing. You can access the gallery instantly from the app, choose an image for the reference and put it into picture-in-picture mode. Then open your favorite drawing app and enjoy the process. Move the image to any corner, scale it and temporarily hide it by swiping it to the side of the screen. You can also select a part of the image to use it as a reference in the pic-in-pic mode. This utility app will help you in your daily art routine. DrawRef is rather minimalistic, so you don’t need tutorials to start using it and benefit from saving screen real estate. In case you have any questions or app related offers, please, write us on drawrefapp@gmail.com. Features: - instant gallery access; - picture-in-picture image view; - using a part of the image as a reference in pic-in-pic mode; - moving an image by dragging it to other corners of your screen; - pinching/unpinching the image to scale it.
Pip
This app provides a full-featured video player for your device's files. It supports both foreground and background Picture-in-Picture modes, making it convenient for managing and watching your video collection.
- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Foreground video playback
- Background video playback
- Plays device video files
- Full-featured player
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This little pretty app adds one of the most important feature for your Files - fullfeatured video player that works in foreground and background Picture in Picture mode. If you have a collection of videos on your devices this app can be VERY handy!
Screenshots
Verdict
DrawRef and Pip both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of DrawRef's written reviews are positive against 41% of Pip's. DrawRef also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Pip's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 70). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
DrawRef holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pip has 1.5K ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of DrawRef's written reviews are positive against 41% of Pip's.
DrawRef ships an update every 9 months, Pip every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DrawRef | Pip |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (70 ratings) — better | 4.5 (1.5K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews — better | 41.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 70 | 1.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 72 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Vasilii Sverchkov | Hamza van der Meer |
Customer experience
DrawRef
Pip
Bugs and requests
DrawRef
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Pip
Reported bugs
3 issues- Subtitles turning on by themselves
- Videos not playing or showing black screen
- Inconsistent behavior across devices
Requested features
3 requests- Option to play videos at custom speeds
- Ability to remember video playback position
- Support for more video file formats
In-app purchases
DrawRef
No in-app purchases
Pip
No in-app purchases
