# VizRef vs HEAVYPAINT

The clearest difference is price: HEAVYPAINT at Free against VizRef's $3.99. HEAVYPAINT also leads on device support (3 vs 1). VizRef's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (70% vs 58%). On rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

HEAVYPAINT is free to download; VizRef costs $3.99 up front. HEAVYPAINT sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. VizRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for VizRef against 4.0 for HEAVYPAINT. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 291 and 66 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of VizRef's written reviews are positive against 58% of HEAVYPAINT's.

VizRef ships an update every 3 months, HEAVYPAINT every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VizRef | HEAVYPAINT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (291 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vizref/id1482680568/reviews)** | [4.0 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heavypaint/id6654887306/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **291** | 66 |
| Positive reviews | **69.8% of reviews** | 58.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.2** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Studio Pixanoh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482680567) | [HEAVYPOLY, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469848545) |

## What reviewers say

### VizRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vizref/id1482680568)

This app allows artists and animators to create visual reference boards using images and GIFs from various sources. It integrates with popular drawing applications, offering tools to organize and refine inspiration for creative projects.

**Highlights:** Create visual reference boards, Import images and GIFs from web, cloud, photos, Companion app for Procreate, Adobe Fresco, etc., Organize inspiration with thumbnails, Animated GIF support with frame-by-frame playback, Image editing tools: crop, greyscale, flip, rotate, Drag and drop from web, batch import

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 🎨 Helpful for organizing references
- 💡 Useful for artists and creatives
- 🔍 Convenient for gathering inspiration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Lack of backup/sync options
- 🖌️ No annotation or note-taking features
- 🔀 Difficulty rearranging/moving images
- 💾 Limited image storage capacity

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing when opening new boards
- Issues with exporting boards and images
- Losing images from boards unexpectedly
- Limits on number of images per board

**Requested features**

- Add text/drawing tools for annotations
- Implement cloud sync and backup options
- Allow multi-select and batch operations
- Provide more flexible image manipulation
- Add folders/organization for boards


### HEAVYPAINT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heavypaint/id6654887306)

This app offers a raw digital painting experience with unique tools for creating textured art and quick studies. It's designed for artists who embrace digital chaos and seek a streamlined, mobile art studio.

**Highlights:** Unique digital brushes, Color Jitter for texture, Fast color blocking tools, Line Blend for gradients, Liquify tool, Minimalist interface, Gallery for creations

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gallery Sync Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Gallery Sync Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlock Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful brushes and tools
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Unique and distilled painting experience
- 👍 Responsive and dedicated developer
- 👍 Great community support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🐛 Issues with saving and restoring purchases
- 🐛 Inconsistent UI and missing features

**Reported bugs**

- Gallery crashes
- Artwork files not saving properly
- Eyedropper tool not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Improved layer management
- More customization options
- Better color controls and eyedropper tool


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VizRef free?

VizRef costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HEAVYPAINT free?

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

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

VizRef is rated higher. VizRef averages 4.1 out of 5 from 291 ratings, while HEAVYPAINT averages 4.0 from 66 ratings.

### Do VizRef or HEAVYPAINT have ads?

Neither VizRef nor HEAVYPAINT shows ads.

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

VizRef ships an update every 3 months, and HEAVYPAINT every 6 weeks. Most recently, VizRef was updated on October 5, 2026 and HEAVYPAINT on October 13, 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.*