Comparison

PicRef vs Resprite

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

Head to head
About

PicRef

This app allows users to view and manipulate reference images with no loss of quality. It offers tools for cropping, resizing, and batch editing, with an optional drawing feature for iPad users. The interface is designed for efficiency, supporting split-screen use with other graphics software.

Highlights
  • No loss of image quality
  • Image dragging, cropping, resizing
  • Batch editing (drag, delete, mirror, sort)
  • Desaturate and mirror images
  • Free rotation at any angle
  • Split screen support
  • Handwriting notes (iPad only)
Features
Read full description

- No loss of image quality Optimize the graphic algorithm to view more images at the same time without missing any high-definition details. - Mark (iPad only) Write down your ideas by hand in any location. - Basic function Support image dragging, cropping, resizing and focus on single picture, one-click mediation. - Marquee Batch drag, delete, mirror, desaturate and sort. - Compact layout - Desaturate Quickly desaturate the selected images. - Rotation Supports free rotation at any angle. - Mirror Quickly mirror the selected images. - Split screen Can be used with other graphics software split screen.

About

Resprite

This professional pixel art editor offers desktop-class features optimized for touch and pen input. Create pixel illustrations, animations, and game assets with an extensive toolset, advanced layers, and a high-performance renderer, all on your mobile device.

Highlights
  • High-performance drawing engine
  • Innovative palette and coloring tools
  • Advanced layers and timeline system
  • Optimized gesture and pen controls
  • Flexible interface layout
  • Import/export GIF, spritesheet, and PSD files
Features
Read full description

Resprite is a professional pixel art editor. Desktop-class features combined with touch/pen optimizations let you create efficiently anywhere. Resprite brings together a complete pixel toolset, an innovative coloring system, advanced layers and timelines, and a Metal-powered high-performance renderer so you can easily make pixel illustrations, spritesheets, GIF animations, and game art assets. Wherever you are—at home, camping, on the beach, or waiting at the gate—you can start creating. Resprite is your mobile pixel art studio. Resprite includes: - High-performance drawing engine - Innovative and efficient palette and coloring tools - Complete dithering pattern support - Flexible interface layout, always one tap away - Optimized gesture and pen controls for precision Flexible interface layout: - Arrange floating panels freely - All panels can be minimized - Shorten the distance between pen and target to boost efficiency - Cohesive pixel-styled UI All-in-one toolset: - Brushes, innovative coloring tools, three selection tools, eyedropper, paint bucket, three shape tools, plus rich sub-options - Pixel Perfect, Alpha Lock, dithering textures, and other advanced features - Place the toolbar anywhere for instant access - Copy, paste (including across files), flip horizontally/vertically, rotate, scale - Zoom and transform both canvas and image - Quick outline, HSV tuning, brightness/contrast adjustment, blur filter - Insert multi-line or vertical text, with custom fonts Convenient reference images: - Load multiple reference images - References can be zoomed and minimized - Place them anywhere Innovative palette: - Free placement layout - Linked workflow with coloring tools - Interpolate to create intermediate colors - Palette import and export - Automatically sample palettes from the canvas Import and sharing: - Import/export GIF, spritesheet, and Resprite packages - Export with scale, frame margin, spritesheet layout options, and more - Export per animation clip or by row - Import/export palettes (GPL, RPL formats) - Export PSD files - Import/export APNG animations - Export timelapse recordings of your drawing Layer and timeline system: - Comprehensive features for flexible layer-based creation - Copy, merge, flatten, rasterize, and other advanced operations - Onion Skin support - Set multiple animation clips and select them individually - Reliable performance—smooth even with hundreds of frames - Color tags, multi-level grouping, and opacity control Fast gesture operations: - Supports low-tilt and heavy-press stylus gestures - Two-finger/three-finger tap for undo/redo - Customizable pen Double-Tap actions - One-finger gestures to switch frames, play, and toggle onion skin - Long-press gesture - Flexibly map gestures to actions Pixel art in the demos comes from these artists: 史大巴、斯尔娜娜、扑倒奥利奥、吱小墨、妘归、KATLEE十三、石睐暮 PREMIUM: Your Resprite PREMIUM unlocks: - Remove export limits - Color adjustments - Stroke - Symmetry tool - Text tool All app features are available, and Premium is shared between iPad and iPhone. Customer support: Docs: https://resprite.fengeon.com/ Email: support@fengeon.com Optional in-app purchases: Charges are deducted from your iTunes account. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends. After purchase, you can manage auto-renewal anytime in your Apple ID account settings. Terms and conditions: Your use of this app is governed by the Terms at https://resprite.fengeon.com/terms and the Privacy Policy at https://resprite.fengeon.com/privacy, including future versions.

Screenshots

PicRef4 screens
Resprite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Resprite at Free against PicRef's $0.99. Resprite also leads on ratings volume (1.5K vs 26). PicRef's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). On rating, review sentiment, ads 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

Resprite is free to download; PicRef costs $0.99 up front. Resprite sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. PicRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PicRef against 4.7 for Resprite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Resprite has 1.5K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of PicRef's written reviews are positive against 80% of Resprite's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PicRef ships an update weekly, Resprite every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
PicRef versus Resprite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPicRefResprite
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (26 ratings)4.7 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.4% of reviews — better79.6% of reviews
Number of ratings261.5K — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#134 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer祥 汤Fengeon

Customer experience

PicRef

All ratings26 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral7.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive84.4%
Neutral8.9%
Negative6.7%

Resprite

All ratings1,441 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews285 reviews
Positive79.6%
Neutral7.0%
Negative13.3%

Bugs and requests

PicRef

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Resprite

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Tools disappearing from the UI
  • Importing Aseprite files not working properly
  • Export function counting against trial limit even when cancelled

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add keyframe animation support
  • Implement tile set creation tools
  • Allow importing/exporting more file formats
  • Improve undo/redo functionality
  • Add cursor/crosshair display option
Show 1 more
  • Increase free export limit

In-app purchases

None

PicRef

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Resprite

Subscriptions2
  • 1 Month$1.991 Month
  • 12 Months$14.991 Year
One-time3
  • A Coffee$0.99
  • Lifetime$19.99
  • Lifetime Standard$29.99

Questions

Is PicRef free?
PicRef costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Resprite free?
Resprite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PicRef or Resprite?
Resprite is rated higher. PicRef averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Resprite averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.
Do PicRef or Resprite have ads?
Neither PicRef nor Resprite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PicRef or Resprite?
PicRef ships an update weekly, and Resprite every 5 weeks. Most recently, PicRef was updated on October 30, 2026 and Resprite on October 30, 2026.

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