Comparison

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method vs Esse

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

Head to head
About

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method

This app digitizes the centuries-old grid drawing technique, allowing artists to easily copy, enlarge, or reduce reference images. It offers flexible grids, smart tools, and various filters to enhance accuracy and detail, making it accessible for beginners and experienced artists alike.

Highlights
  • Flexible grid types and customization
  • Smart zoom and digital ruler
  • Pencil sketch and onion skin filters
  • Import/export via camera and sharing
  • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, Mac
  • Adjustable zoom and media sizes
Features
Read full description

First released in 2010, CopyIt is the original and most feature‑rich grid drawing app. Trusted by artists, teachers, and students worldwide, CopyIt brings the centuries‑old grid drawing technique into the digital age, making it easier than ever to copy, enlarge, or reduce reference images with precision. Why CopyIt? The grid method, used by masters like Leonardo da Vinci, breaks images into manageable sections so you can focus on lines and shapes square by square. CopyIt eliminates the need to print and mark up photos, offering zoom, filters, and digital tools that enhance accuracy and detail. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced artist, CopyIt helps you achieve results with confidence. Key Features • Universal App: Works on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Silicon Macs • Flexible Grids: 6 grid types, customisable rows/columns, adjustable colors, transparency, and guidelines • Smart Tools: SmartMove zoom, Target mode, digital ruler, perspective lines, Crosshair, MixMap and TubeMatch™ for colour matching • Filters & Effects: Pencil Sketch, Onion Skin overlay, flips, rotations, and multiple image aspects • Import & Export: Capture with front/back cameras, load projects or albums, save and share via AirDrop, email, or social platforms • Customization: Portrait/landscape orientation, fullscreen mode, adjustable zoom (x1–x20), media sizes in imperial/metric • Support: In‑app help and a new tutorial Designed for Success CopyIt transforms the traditional grid method into a modern workflow tool. By working square by square, you can scale images accurately, refine details, and build confidence in your drawing skills. Connect with us: • Facebook: facebook.com/CopyItTheGridDrawingMethod Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Esse

Instantly transform lengthy YouTube videos into concise, easy-to-understand summaries. This tool offers bullet-point takeaways, deep dives, and supports over 60 languages, creating a personal knowledge library. Save time and effortlessly share key information.

Highlights
  • AI video summarization
  • Bullet-point takeaways
  • Deep dive summaries
  • 60+ languages supported
  • Searchable library
  • Automatic clipboard detection
  • Time saved tracking
Read full description

Turn any long YouTube video into clean, digestible takeaways in seconds. How it works: — Copy or share any YouTube link → instant AI summary — Automatic clipboard detection (zero extra steps) — Minimal, distraction-free design — Summaries saved in a searchable library What you get: — Takeaways as clear bullet points — Concise overviews in under 30 seconds — Structured Deep Dives for longer, content-rich videos — 60+ languages supported — A personal knowledge vault that grows with you — Time saved, tracked automatically — Easy sharing: plain text or styled templates Also included: Bait Buster Not sure if a video is worth your time? Share it and tap Bust the Bait — Esse scans the thumbnail, title, and transcript, then tells you exactly what's inside and whether it delivers what it promised.

Screenshots

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method4 screens
Esse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Esse at Free against CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method's $19.99. Esse also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method's advantage is ratings volume (297 vs 24) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Esse is free to download; CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method costs $19.99 up front. CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Esse sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method against 4.8 for Esse. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method has 297 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method's written reviews are positive against 100% of Esse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method ships an update every 5 weeks, Esse weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method versus Esse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCopyIt The Grid Drawing MethodEsse
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (297 ratings)4.8 (24 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings297 — better24
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNigel Green100K31D D.O.O.

Customer experience

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method

All ratings296 ratings
Positive93.6%
Neutral2.7%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews138 reviews
Positive79.7%
Neutral2.9%
Negative17.4%

Esse

All ratings18 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Grid lines not aligning properly when rotating the image
  • App locking up or crashing when switching between projects
  • Inconsistent behavior when resizing the grid or image

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to save multiple projects at once
  • More grid size and layout options
  • Improved image resizing and positioning tools
  • Onion skin mode improvements
  • Faster performance and reduced crashes

Esse

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method

Subscriptions2
  • CopyIt Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • CopyIt Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • CopyIt Lifetime$29.99
4 purchases

Esse

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Premium$1.997 Days
  • Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$59.99

Questions

Is CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method free?
CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Esse free?
Esse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method or Esse?
Esse is rated higher. CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method averages 4.7 out of 5 from 297 ratings, while Esse averages 4.8 from 24 ratings.
Do CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method or Esse have ads?
Neither CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method nor Esse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method or Esse?
CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method ships an update every 5 weeks, and Esse weekly. Most recently, CopyIt The Grid Drawing Method was updated on October 24, 2026 and Esse on October 24, 2026.

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