# HEAVYPAINT Classic vs VizRef Lite

The clearest difference is price: HEAVYPAINT Classic at Free against VizRef Lite's $1.99. HEAVYPAINT Classic also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and rating (4.1 vs 3.8). VizRef Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#21 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

HEAVYPAINT Classic is free to download; VizRef Lite costs $1.99 up front. HEAVYPAINT Classic sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. VizRef Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

HEAVYPAINT Classic holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 179 and 38 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of HEAVYPAINT Classic's written reviews are positive against 48% of VizRef Lite's.

HEAVYPAINT Classic ships an update every 5 days, VizRef Lite every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HEAVYPAINT Classic | VizRef Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.1 (179 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heavypaint-classic/id1469848546/reviews)** | [3.8 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vizref-lite/id1502216965/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **179** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | **52.2% of reviews** | 47.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#21** |
| Size | 51 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HEAVYPOLY, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469848545) | [Studio Pixanoh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482680567) |

## What reviewers say

### HEAVYPAINT Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heavypaint-classic/id1469848546)

A streamlined painting application focused on pure colors and shapes. It offers essential tools for artists, including improved smudge and blur, layers, masking, and erasing. Ideal for quick sketches, studies, and plein air work.

**Highlights:** Improved Smudge tool, Improved Blur tool, Layers, Masking, Clipping, Erase tool

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seurat Texture Brushes | $4.99 | one-time |
| HEAVYPAINT Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Unique, innovative painting tools and brushes
- 💡 Forces deliberate, decisive artistic decisions
- 🎯 Minimalist interface encourages focus on fundamentals
- 🔄 Playback feature to review artwork creation
- 🎪 Fun, experimental approach to digital art

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss
- 😤 Confusing, unintuitive UI/UX
- 🔄 Inconsistent UI changes between updates
- 💰 Switched from one-time purchase to subscription model
- 🚫 Poor documentation and lack of tutorials

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently, causing work loss
- Auto-save feature unreliable despite crashes
- Canvas flips upside down randomly
- Transform tool deletes paintings
- Undo button requires multiple taps

**Requested features**

- Gesture controls (2-finger undo, 3-finger redo)
- Pressure sensitivity for brush size
- Lasso tool for moving selections
- Redo button functionality
- Canvas zoom capability


### VizRef Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vizref-lite/id1502216965)

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app allows creatives to build and carry visual reference boards on their iPhone. It supports various image types, including GIFs, and integrates with popular drawing applications, acting as a second monitor for inspiration on the go.

**Highlights:** Create visual reference boards, Import images from web, cloud, photos, Supports animated GIFs with timeline control, Use iPhone as a second monitor, Batch import and export, Image editing tools (crop, flip, rotate), Light and Dark mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HEAVYPAINT Classic free?

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

### Is VizRef Lite free?

VizRef Lite costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HEAVYPAINT Classic or VizRef Lite?

HEAVYPAINT Classic is rated higher. HEAVYPAINT Classic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while VizRef Lite averages 3.8 from 38 ratings.

### Do HEAVYPAINT Classic or VizRef Lite have ads?

Neither HEAVYPAINT Classic nor VizRef Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HEAVYPAINT Classic or VizRef Lite?

HEAVYPAINT Classic ships an update every 5 days, and VizRef Lite every 3 months. Most recently, HEAVYPAINT Classic was updated on October 13, 2026 and VizRef Lite on October 14, 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.*