# RefCanvas vs HEAVYPAINT

The clearest difference is rating: HEAVYPAINT at 4.0 against RefCanvas's 2.3. HEAVYPAINT also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 17 months) and review sentiment (58% vs 43%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RefCanvas sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and HEAVYPAINT sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HEAVYPAINT holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HEAVYPAINT has 65 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of RefCanvas's written reviews are positive against 58% of HEAVYPAINT's.

RefCanvas ships an update every 17 months, HEAVYPAINT every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RefCanvas | HEAVYPAINT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refcanvas/id6447381089/reviews) | **[4.0 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heavypaint/id6654887306/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **65** |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **58.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 131 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [youcef boukit](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681171051) | [HEAVYPOLY, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469848545) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### HEAVYPAINT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heavypaint/id6654887306)

This app offers a raw digital painting experience with unique tools for creating textured art and quick studies. It's designed for artists who embrace digital chaos and seek a streamlined, mobile art studio.

**Highlights:** Unique digital brushes, Color Jitter for texture, Fast color blocking tools, Line Blend for gradients, Liquify tool, Minimalist interface, Gallery for creations

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gallery Sync Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Gallery Sync Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlock Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful brushes and tools
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Unique and distilled painting experience
- 👍 Responsive and dedicated developer
- 👍 Great community support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🐛 Issues with saving and restoring purchases
- 🐛 Inconsistent UI and missing features

**Reported bugs**

- Gallery crashes
- Artwork files not saving properly
- Eyedropper tool not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Improved layer management
- More customization options
- Better color controls and eyedropper tool


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RefCanvas free?

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

### Is HEAVYPAINT free?

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

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

HEAVYPAINT is rated higher. RefCanvas averages 2.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while HEAVYPAINT averages 4.0 from 65 ratings.

### Do RefCanvas or HEAVYPAINT have ads?

Neither RefCanvas nor HEAVYPAINT shows ads.

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

RefCanvas ships an update every 17 months, and HEAVYPAINT every 6 weeks. Most recently, RefCanvas was updated on September 15, 2026 and HEAVYPAINT on September 26, 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.*