Comparison

Drawing from References vs Zolly

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Drawing from References

This app provides a vast library of curated portraits and poses for artists to practice and learn realistic drawing. It offers AI-powered portrait generation, customizable drawing aids like grids and filters, and access to additional reference collections.

Highlights
  • Vast library of portraits and poses
  • AI-powered custom portrait generation
  • Customizable grid overlay
  • Blur and grayscale filters
  • Searchable Unsplash database
  • Additional reference collections (hands, feet)
Features
Read full description

* No more "I don't know what to draw" Blank page anxiety is real. "Drawing from References" fixes it with thousands of curated portraits and poses you can actually use — no endless scrolling, no copyright headaches, just reference photos picked for artists who want to get better. * The tools that actually help - A huge library that keeps growing. Portraits, full-body poses, hands, feet, even still life setups. - AI portraits on demand (Premium) Need a specific look that doesn't exist yet? Generate one. Pick the gender, age, expression, hair, vibe — get a custom reference built for exactly what you're practicing. * Built-in drawing aids that don't get in your way - Grid overlay Nail your proportions without guessing. Adjustable, so it fits your style. - Blur filter See the big shapes first. Details can wait. - Grayscale filter Kill the color noise and train your eye on values — the thing that actually makes shading look right. * More than portraits Hands, feet, still life, and a direct line into Unsplash's massive photo library when you want something specific. * Practice with a plan, not just vibes Likeness, proportion, values — the stuff that trips everyone up. Drawing References gives you the reference and the tools to actually fix it, session after session. Download it. Open the app. Start drawing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.drawingreferencesapp.com/privacy-policy/

About

Zolly

Learn dynamic perspective drawing by manipulating camera angles and object proximity. Explore ready-made models and primitive shapes to understand and experiment with perspective distortion for exciting visual effects.

Highlights
  • Learn perspective drawing
  • Dynamic perspective manipulation
  • Camera control for distortion
  • Ready-made and primitive models
  • Grid lines and ground planes
  • Understand position and proximity
Read full description

If you want to learn perspective drawing and you’re willing to break some rules, then you need to check out ZOLLY! One of the most effective ways to draw with dynamic perspective is to play with its extremes… close and far contrasts can make your images exciting. The main purpose of this app is to heighten your awareness that position and proximity makes all the difference in how objects appear. Zolly Key Features: View tons of ready-made models to tackle both basic and advanced perspective challenges. Take total control of the camera to get the exact view and perspective distortion you’re looking for. Use grid lines, ground planes, and low-poly models to help you understand perspective. Primitive models that ease you into more complex forms, with edges and lines that can be turned on and off to better understand the underlying perspective. A perfect tool to go with the Proko Perspective course. Why ZOLLY? There's a technique in film called a Dolly Zoom (ZOLLY) where you can zoom in while moving the camera back which keeps an object the same size. It’s a trip and it's been used in movies like Jaws and Vertigo to make iconic moments. This app also allows you to play with the same mind-bending effect to see how position and proximity change everything! And the fun part? You can even experiment with other viewpoints and effects that you couldn’t pull off with a physical camera using ZOLLY. Zolly was designed to help you practice various forms in perspective, from simple and advanced primitive shapes, to more complex objects like vehicles and buildings. Draw from orthographic view, to extreme views, to anything in between. Manipulate forms in space with surprising viewpoints through a virtual camera, to expand your imagination, and prompt you to use perspective daringly as you play with form and space in your drawings.The goal for many artists is to push past the predictable and into the impossible. Stretch space. Stretch your mind. And yeah, stretch your art with ZOLLY.

Screenshots

Drawing from References4 screens
Zolly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Zolly at 100% against Drawing from References's 25%. Zolly also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Drawing from References sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Zolly sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Zolly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Drawing from References's written reviews are positive against 100% of Zolly's.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Drawing from References versus Zolly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDrawing from ReferencesZolly
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (10 ratings)5.0 (17 ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1017 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB485 MB
Age rating12+4+
Developerfnx.ioProko

Customer experience

Drawing from References

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Zolly

All ratings17 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Drawing from References

Subscriptions2
  • Upgrade to PRO7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Upgrade to PRO7 Days trial$9.991 Year
5 purchases

Zolly

One-time5
  • XYZ Forms$1.99
  • Vehicle Pack$4.99
  • Buildings Pack$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Home Props Pack$4.99
  • Work Props Pack$4.99

Questions

Is Drawing from References free?
Drawing from References is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Zolly free?
Zolly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Drawing from References or Zolly?
Zolly is rated higher. Drawing from References averages 3.5 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Zolly averages 5.0 from 17 ratings.
Do Drawing from References or Zolly have ads?
Drawing from References shows ads; Zolly does not.

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