# Pics.io vs Shortwave

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pics.io at 100% against Shortwave's 65%. Pics.io also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Shortwave's advantage is ratings volume (755 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pics.io holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shortwave has 755 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Pics.io's written reviews are positive against 65% of Shortwave's.

Pics.io ships an update fortnightly, Shortwave every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pics.io | Shortwave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picsio/id1541131581/reviews)** | [4.7 (755 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-ai-email/id1559784681/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **755** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 65.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 75 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TopTechPhoto inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541131586) | [Shortwave Communications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502603969) |

## What reviewers say

### Pics.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picsio/id1541131581)

This app provides a mobile interface for a digital asset management system, allowing users to find, view, share, and upload digital content. It integrates with cloud storage and offers features for project tracking and workflow automation.

**Highlights:** Search and view digital assets, Select and share assets, Create and share collections, Upload assets directly, Collaborate on assets

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shortwave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-ai-email/id1559784681)

This AI-powered email client streamlines your inbox with intelligent assistance for writing, organizing, and scheduling. It offers real-time team collaboration, advanced search, and customizable workflows to boost productivity.

**Highlights:** AI-powered email writing and drafting, Intelligent inbox organization and clutter removal, Real-time team collaboration and email sharing, AI-driven meeting scheduling, Advanced AI-powered search and analysis, Customizable workflows and AI snippets

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent email management
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Efficient email processing
- 💡 Innovative AI features
- 👍 Helpful email bundling and scheduling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent mobile app experience
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
- 💻 Lack of support for non-Gmail accounts
- 🔧 Missing key features like delete and landscape mode

**Reported bugs**

- Unreliable email bundling and threading
- Inconsistent performance and stability issues
- Bugs with email forwarding and attachment handling

**Requested features**

- Add support for more email providers
- Improve iPad and tablet optimization
- Enhance customization options for labels and actions
- Integrate with more productivity apps and services
- Provide better transparency around data usage and privacy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pics.io free?

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

### Is Shortwave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pics.io or Shortwave?

Pics.io is rated higher. Pics.io averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Shortwave averages 4.7 from 755 ratings.

### Do Pics.io or Shortwave have ads?

Neither Pics.io nor Shortwave shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pics.io or Shortwave?

Pics.io ships an update fortnightly, and Shortwave every 4 weeks. Most recently, Pics.io was updated on November 3, 2026 and Shortwave on November 7, 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.*