# DrawRef vs Pip

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | DrawRef | Pip |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawref/id1446586198/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pip-video-player/id6444033332/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 70 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 41.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 1 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vasilii Sverchkov](https://appshunter.io/developer/638740211) | [Hamza van der Meer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651739359) |

## 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


### Pip

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pip-video-player/id6444033332)

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.

**Highlights:** Picture-in-Picture mode, Foreground video playback, Background video playback, Plays device video files, Full-featured player

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 Great video player features
- 💡 Useful file management capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy downloads and playback issues
- 💸 Excessive ads and lack of paid option
- 🔍 Privacy concerns with file access

**Reported bugs**

- Subtitles turning on by themselves
- Videos not playing or showing black screen
- Inconsistent behavior across devices

**Requested features**

- Option to play videos at custom speeds
- Ability to remember video playback position
- Support for more video file formats


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DrawRef free?

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

### Is Pip free?

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

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

DrawRef is rated higher. DrawRef averages 4.7 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Pip averages 4.5 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do DrawRef or Pip have ads?

Pip shows ads; DrawRef does not.

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

DrawRef ships an update every 9 months, and Pip every 4 weeks. Most recently, DrawRef was updated on November 2, 2026 and Pip 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.*