# PicRef vs RefCanvas

The clearest difference is price: RefCanvas at Free against PicRef's $0.99. PicRef's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 2.3) and review sentiment (84% vs 43%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

RefCanvas is free to download; PicRef costs $0.99 up front. RefCanvas sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. PicRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

PicRef holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of PicRef's written reviews are positive against 43% of RefCanvas's.

PicRef ships an update weekly, RefCanvas every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PicRef | RefCanvas |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picref-for-reference-picture/id1641905969/reviews)** | [2.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refcanvas/id6447381089/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **84.4% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 17 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#122** | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [祥 汤](https://appshunter.io/developer/1623075074) | [youcef boukit](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681171051) |

## What reviewers say

### PicRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picref-for-reference-picture/id1641905969)

**Currently charting:** #122 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### RefCanvas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refcanvas/id6447381089)

This app helps artists and designers organize visual references for their projects. Import images and GIFs, arrange them on a canvas, add notes, and export your creations.

**Highlights:** Import images and GIFs, Add text notes, Move, scale, and rotate references, Group references with nodes, Supports split screen and pop-up view, Export boards as SVG or images

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro version | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pro version | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PicRef free?

PicRef costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RefCanvas free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PicRef or RefCanvas?

PicRef is rated higher. PicRef averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while RefCanvas averages 2.3 from 7 ratings.

### Do PicRef or RefCanvas have ads?

Neither PicRef nor RefCanvas shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PicRef or RefCanvas?

PicRef ships an update weekly, and RefCanvas every 17 months. Most recently, PicRef was updated on September 22, 2026 and RefCanvas on September 15, 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.*