Reference app screenshots with a hand-held phone
A hand or fingers in the picture. A hand gives the device a sense of scale and shows the app in use.
From the top 100 free Reference apps on the US App Store, read on October 9, 2026. Screenshots are the developers’ own, shown from Apple’s servers with a link to each app.
The numbers
Apps that do it
28% 28 of 100
Screenshots that do it
8% 44 of 566
The top ten
4 of 10 against 24 of the other 90
44 of the 566 Reference screenshots read (8%) do this, across 28 of the top 100 apps (28%). 4 of the top ten do it (40%), against 24 of the other 90 (27%): the top ten do it more than the rest. Of the 23 categories read so far, Reference is 12th for this. It is most common in Photo & Video (39% of apps) and least common in Developer Tools (3%).
12 examples from the chart.
12 of the 44 Reference app screenshots with a hand-held phone, one from each app, the highest on the chart first.
“Translate Anything”
“Talk Freely with Voice Translate”
“Trusted Choice”
“Short Videos. Deep Truths.”
“Stargazing made easy”
“Seek Biblical Wisdom in Verses”
“Explore the Night Sky with AR”
“The #1 Prayer App”
“Visual Search by Photo”
“Learn & Discover”
“Pokemon & TCG”
What these screenshots say, word for word.
The words on 40 of the 43 that carry any, as each app wrote them.
“Translate Anything”
“So easy, I’m suddenly a polyglot!”Live Translator: Translate + · #1 · screenshot 1“Talk Freely with Voice Translate”
AI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo · #6 · screenshot 2“Trusted Choice”
Built for reliabilityTarbo PDF Creator · #7 · screenshot 1“Short Videos. Deep Truths.”
Bible Shorts: Watch & Study · #8 · screenshot 2“Stargazing made easy”
Sky Guide · #12 · screenshot 1“Seek Biblical Wisdom in Verses”
Bible Path: Prayers & Widgets · #13 · screenshot 4“Explore the Night Sky with AR”
Night Sky · #14 · screenshot 1“The #1 Prayer App”
IN THE WORLDHallow: Prayer & Meditation · #15 · screenshot 1“Visual Search by Photo”
CoinIn: Coin Scan Identifier · #21 · screenshot 6“BLOOD SUGAR TRACKER -AI HEALTH”
Blood Sugar Tracker-AI Health · #23 · screenshot 2“Learn & Discover”
TCG Card Scanner - FoilSnap · #25 · screenshot 5“Pokemon & TCG”
CCN: TCG & Collectible Alerts · #30 · screenshot 1“Identify coin instantly”
AI CoinScan: Coin ID & Value · #34 · screenshot 1“scan minifigs. track value.”
scan thousands of minifigs and sets.Brickify: Collection Tracker · #38 · screenshot 2- Trusted by 1M+ travelers
“Travel anywhere, understand everything”
App Store Editor's Choice"Salmon and Salmon Roe Avocado Mayo Rice Bowl Salmon roe contains nutrients called DHA and EPA, which are known to help lower cholesterol and support fat metabolism. We wish you good health and hope you enjoy your meal."Kuli Kuli: Travel Translator · #42 · screenshot 1 “Quran Memorization Track Your Progress”
Quran Majeed – القران الكريم · #44 · screenshot 5- CATHOLIC AI
“SEEK BOLDLY”
Instant answers for anything. Catholic perspective on everything.Truthly: Catholic AI · #51 · screenshot 1 “The Fastest Way to Price Your Cards”
Cardly AI: Sports Card Scanner · #53 · screenshot 2“Record Actions, Replay Anytime”
Auto Clicker: Tap Automation · #57 · screenshot 4“200+ Languages”
Provides instant and accurate translation in over 200 + languagesSpeakEasy Translator · #62 · screenshot 1“Identify Any Object”
Lens AI & Reverse Image Search · #64 · screenshot 1“SET UP CONTROL ALL ECHO”
Alexa App Set Up All Echo · #66 · screenshot 2“Can't understand foreign media?”
Try the Movie Viewing ModeeTranslator-AI Translate · #67 · screenshot 3“WHAT IS THAT BRIGHT DOT IN THE SKY?”
Sky Tonight - Stargazing Guide · #75 · screenshot 1“Search Public Records”
BeenVerified: People Search · #84 · screenshot 1“Sewing Quilting Made Easy”
Sewpal: Sewing Pattern & Guide · #87 · screenshot 1“BUILD YOUR FAMILY TREE 🌳”
Family Tree Maker & Heritage · #96 · screenshot 3“Scan Your Bible”
Paper to notes, instantlyVessel: Bible Study & Notes · #98 · screenshot 2“Photo & Signs Translator”
AI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo · #6 · screenshot 5“DOWNLOAD”
in one clickTarbo PDF Creator · #7 · screenshot 4“Watch the Bible”
Bible Shorts: Watch & Study · #8 · screenshot 3“Apple Design Award”
Sky Guide · #12 · screenshot 2“Heart Rate Detection”
Blood Sugar Tracker-AI Health · #23 · screenshot 4“Join Collector Community”
CCN: TCG & Collectible Alerts · #30 · screenshot 5“Coin, Country and Year”
AI CoinScan: Coin ID & Value · #34 · screenshot 2“Pharmacy Labels Prioritized”
Dosage, warnings, and key info highlighted for youKuli Kuli: Travel Translator · #42 · screenshot 4“Voice Translation”
SpeakEasy Translator · #62 · screenshot 2“Step-By-Step Video Guide”
Sewpal: Sewing Pattern & Guide · #87 · screenshot 2“Never Miss a Word of the Sermon”
One tap, and it's all kept for youVessel: Bible Study & Notes · #98 · screenshot 3“AI Health Assistant”
Blood Sugar Tracker-AI Health · #23 · screenshot 5
Top ten Reference apps that do it.
- #1Live Translator: Translate +1 of its 6 screenshots
- #6AI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo3 of its 6 screenshots
- #7Tarbo PDF Creator2 of its 4 screenshots
- #8Bible Shorts: Watch & Study2 of its 6 screenshots
The same tactic in other categories.
| Category | Apps that do it | Screenshots | Top ten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo & Video | 39% 39 of 100 | 10% 58 of 566 | 2 of 10 |
| Shopping | 38% 38 of 100 | 8% 47 of 562 | 6 of 10 |
| Education | 36% 36 of 100 | 11% 59 of 555 | 1 of 10 |
| Lifestyle | 35% 35 of 100 | 10% 54 of 556 | 6 of 10 |
| Utilities | 35% 35 of 100 | 9% 49 of 549 | 1 of 10 |
| Social Networking | 33% 33 of 100 | 8% 42 of 554 | 3 of 10 |
| Games | 31% 31 of 100 | 10% 56 of 567 | 3 of 10 |
| Health & Fitness | 31% 31 of 100 | 8% 45 of 574 | 4 of 10 |
| Finance | 30% 30 of 100 | 7% 41 of 581 | 3 of 10 |
| Medical | 30% 30 of 100 | 7% 37 of 548 | 4 of 10 |
| Graphics & Design | 29% 29 of 99 | 10% 54 of 564 | 3 of 10 |
| Reference | 28% 28 of 100 | 8% 44 of 566 | 4 of 10 |
| Business | 27% 27 of 100 | 6% 36 of 554 | 2 of 10 |
| Food & Drink | 26% 26 of 100 | 8% 42 of 540 | 6 of 10 |
| Music | 23% 23 of 100 | 7% 38 of 550 | 1 of 10 |
| Navigation | 15% 15 of 99 | 4% 20 of 566 | 3 of 10 |
| Travel | 15% 15 of 100 | 5% 27 of 561 | 3 of 10 |
| Entertainment | 14% 14 of 100 | 4% 21 of 544 | 2 of 10 |
| Sports | 14% 14 of 100 | 4% 21 of 558 | 2 of 10 |
| Productivity | 12% 12 of 99 | 3% 16 of 551 | 2 of 10 |
| News | 8% 8 of 98 | 2% 9 of 517 | 1 of 10 |
| Weather | 7% 7 of 100 | 2% 9 of 555 | 1 of 10 |
| Developer Tools | 3% 3 of 100 | 1% 3 of 507 | 1 of 10 |
Related tactics.
Often on the same screenshot
- A photograph86% of these screenshots, against 48% of all Reference screenshots
- A person in the picture41% of these screenshots, against 18% of all Reference screenshots
- Phone at an angle20% of these screenshots, against 3% of all Reference screenshots
- Laurel or award20% of these screenshots, against 5% of all Reference screenshots
- Arrows or callouts36% of these screenshots, against 22% of all Reference screenshots
- Headline in Title Case50% of these screenshots, against 36% of all Reference screenshots
More in layout
- Phone drawn99%
- Screen fills the picture99%
- Whole phone shown95%
- Words at the top91%
- A photograph88%
- Headline readable at thumbnail size78%
- Illustration or mascot70%
- Phone cut off at the foot60%
- Arrows or callouts53%
- A person in the picture50%
- Headline too small to read42%
- App icon shown41%
- Words aligned left31%
- No phone, bare screen27%
- Zoomed detail of the UI26%
- No app screen at all21%
- Two or more screens21%
- Phone cut off at the head19%
- Phone at an angle14%
- Words at the bottom13%
- Screen is small11%
- Watch, iPad or Mac beside it10%
- Words over the screen8%
Questions, answered from the chart.
How many top Reference apps have App Store screenshots with a hand-held phone?
28 of the top 100 Reference apps (28%) have at least one, and 44 of their 566 screenshots (8%) do it. Counted from the US App Store’s top free chart on October 9, 2026.
Which Reference apps have App Store screenshots with a hand-held phone?
In the top ten: Live Translator: Translate + (#1), AI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo (#6), Tarbo PDF Creator (#7) and Bible Shorts: Watch & Study (#8). Further down the chart: Sky Guide (#12), Bible Path: Prayers & Widgets (#13), Night Sky (#14), Hallow: Prayer & Meditation (#15) and CoinIn: Coin Scan Identifier (#21), and 19 more.
Should my Reference app have App Store screenshots with a hand-held phone?
The chart shows who does it, not whether it would work for your app. 4 of the top ten Reference apps do it (40%), against 24 of the other 90 (27%), so the top ten do it more than the rest. Ten apps is a small group, so read that as a description of this chart and not as a rule.
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