# picTrove vs Crowbox

The clearest difference is rating: Crowbox at 5.0 against picTrove's 3.1. Crowbox also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). picTrove's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 22 months) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. picTrove sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Crowbox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crowbox holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of picTrove's written reviews are positive against 100% of Crowbox's.

picTrove ships an update every 3 months, Crowbox every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | picTrove | Crowbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pictrove/id433016309/reviews) | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crowbox/id1463216934/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **74** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 67.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 212 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Traversient Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1478485461) | [Cyan, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1183537148) |

## What reviewers say

### picTrove

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pictrove/id433016309)

Easily find and save images and animated GIFs from across the web. Search multiple online sources simultaneously and organize your discoveries. Enjoy a slideshow of your saved content.

**Highlights:** Search internet photos, Animated GIF support, Saved Searches, Save photos with one tap, Image Slideshow

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| No Ads Yearly | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent image search app
- 🚀 Comprehensive search across multiple sources
- 💡 Useful editing and sharing features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 High memory usage leading to performance problems
- 💰 Paid version still shows ads

**Reported bugs**

- Search results not loading properly
- Inability to access certain search engines
- Saved searches and history not persisting

**Requested features**

- Add option to filter out inappropriate content
- Improve search result quality and relevance
- Restore ability to save images directly to device


### Crowbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crowbox/id1463216934)

Easily share your photos directly to friends' iPhones without uploading to the cloud. Control the slideshow experience while others view on their own devices, perfect for sharing moments without cluttering their phones or requiring internet access.

**Highlights:** Show photos on others' iPhones, Direct device-to-device sharing, No internet or cloud required, User controls the slideshow, No account or login needed, Safe and secure photo sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Album option | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is picTrove free?

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

### Is Crowbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, picTrove or Crowbox?

Crowbox is rated higher. picTrove averages 3.1 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while Crowbox averages 5.0 from 15 ratings.

### Do picTrove or Crowbox have ads?

picTrove shows ads; Crowbox does not.

### Which is updated more often, picTrove or Crowbox?

picTrove ships an update every 3 months, and Crowbox every 22 months. Most recently, picTrove was updated on October 19, 2026 and Crowbox on September 24, 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.*