Reference app screenshots with no app screen
A photo, a logo or a slogan: the app’s screen does not appear. These sell an idea, a promise or a brand before showing any interface. Apple’s App Review Guideline 2.3.3 says screenshots should show the app in use, and not only title art, a login page or a splash screen.
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
21% 21 of 100
Screenshots that do it
4% 25 of 566
The top ten
2 of 10 against 19 of the other 90
25 of the 566 Reference screenshots read (4%) do this, across 21 of the top 100 apps (21%). 2 of the top ten do it (20%), against 19 of the other 90 (21%): the top ten do it about as often as the rest. Of the 23 categories read so far, Reference is 8th for this. It is most common in Education (29% of apps) and least common in Weather (4%).
12 examples from the chart.
12 of the 25 Reference app screenshots with no app screen, one from each app, the highest on the chart first.
“Translate Anything”
“Travel Without Language Barrier”
“Connect with God”
“Who's singing?”
“Bible study made simple”
“Pokemon & TCG”
“What are you Waiting for?! Make your bible journey fun Today No pressure and God Bless!”
“Travel anywhere, understand everything”
“The #1 Muslim App”
“TRUTH SEEKERS”
“antiques & vintage items with a snap.”
What these screenshots say, word for word.
The words on all 23 that carry any, as each app wrote them.
“Translate Anything”
“So easy, I’m suddenly a polyglot!”Live Translator: Translate + · #1 · screenshot 1“Travel Without Language Barrier”
Text, speak, or snap-we've got your translation coveredAI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo · #6 · screenshot 1“Connect with God”
Anywhere You AreBible Path: Prayers & Widgets · #13 · screenshot 1“Who's singing?”
Merlin Bird ID can tell youMerlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab · #24 · screenshot 1“Bible study made simple”
Creed: Bible Chat & Companion · #26 · screenshot 4“Pokemon & TCG”
CCN: TCG & Collectible Alerts · #30 · screenshot 1“What are you Waiting for?! Make your bible journey fun Today No pressure and God Bless!”
Bible Bff-Modern Bible Stories · #37 · screenshot 5- 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 “The #1 Muslim App”
★★★★★ 4.9 RATED 4.9 ON THE US APP STORE“This app blocks social medias and any app you are addicted to and won't unlock it until you say you've prayed. ... I've been able to wake up for fajr much more and read more of the Quran.”Niyat: Quran, Prayer & Dua · #49 · screenshot 2- FOR THE
“TRUTH SEEKERS”
“This app has truly given me exactly what I was thirsting for. Clarity.”Truthly: Catholic AI · #51 · screenshot 2 - Identify
“antiques & vintage items with a snap.”
Curio - Antique Identifier · #52 · screenshot 1 “Check Your Card's Value Instantly”
in SecondsCardly AI: Sports Card Scanner · #53 · screenshot 1“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“Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or scared of them; for the Lord your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
DEUTERONOMY 31:6#Bible - Verse of the Day · #65 · screenshot 3“Set Up Every Echo In Seconds”
Alexa App Set Up All Echo · #66 · screenshot 1“Breathe. Pray. Release”
Meditations for inner stillnessAbide: Bible Prayer Meditation · #68 · screenshot 3“Translate with the world's most accurate AI translator”
DeepL Translate · #71 · screenshot 1“Offline Translator”
No Internet neededTranslate One: AI Translator · #72 · screenshot 5“Step-By-Step Video Guide”
Sewpal: Sewing Pattern & Guide · #87 · screenshot 2“Seek Biblical Wisdom in Verses”
Bible Path: Prayers & Widgets · #13 · screenshot 4“All The Hard Work Done For You”
CCN: TCG & Collectible Alerts · #30 · screenshot 6“Made by Christians for Christians”
#Bible - Verse of the Day · #65 · screenshot 6
Top ten Reference apps that do it.
- #1Live Translator: Translate +1 of its 6 screenshots
- #6AI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo1 of its 6 screenshots
The same tactic in other categories.
| Category | Apps that do it | Screenshots | Top ten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | 29% 29 of 100 | 7% 37 of 555 | 1 of 10 |
| Finance | 27% 27 of 100 | 6% 33 of 581 | 3 of 10 |
| Sports | 26% 26 of 100 | 5% 27 of 558 | 7 of 10 |
| Food & Drink | 25% 25 of 100 | 5% 29 of 540 | 5 of 10 |
| Productivity | 23% 23 of 99 | 5% 26 of 551 | 1 of 10 |
| Lifestyle | 23% 23 of 100 | 5% 27 of 556 | 4 of 10 |
| Shopping | 23% 23 of 100 | 5% 28 of 562 | 3 of 10 |
| Health & Fitness | 21% 21 of 100 | 4% 23 of 574 | 4 of 10 |
| Medical | 21% 21 of 100 | 5% 25 of 548 | 1 of 10 |
| Reference | 21% 21 of 100 | 4% 25 of 566 | 2 of 10 |
| Utilities | 21% 21 of 100 | 4% 24 of 549 | 2 of 10 |
| Games | 20% 20 of 100 | 4% 22 of 567 | 2 of 10 |
| Graphics & Design | 19% 19 of 99 | 4% 24 of 564 | 1 of 10 |
| Business | 18% 18 of 100 | 4% 23 of 554 | 1 of 10 |
| Music | 16% 16 of 100 | 3% 18 of 550 | 1 of 10 |
| Social Networking | 16% 16 of 100 | 3% 17 of 554 | 0 of 10 |
| Travel | 15% 15 of 100 | 3% 18 of 561 | 2 of 10 |
| Navigation | 12% 12 of 99 | 2% 13 of 566 | 0 of 10 |
| Entertainment | 11% 11 of 100 | 3% 15 of 544 | 2 of 10 |
| Photo & Video | 10% 10 of 100 | 2% 12 of 566 | 0 of 10 |
| News | 8% 8 of 98 | 2% 9 of 517 | 0 of 10 |
| Developer Tools | 7% 7 of 100 | 1% 7 of 507 | 0 of 10 |
| Weather | 4% 4 of 100 | 1% 5 of 555 | 1 of 10 |
Related tactics.
Often on the same screenshot
- Star rating shown36% of these screenshots, against 6% of all Reference screenshots
- States a benefit72% of these screenshots, against 45% of all Reference screenshots
- Laurel or award32% of these screenshots, against 5% of all Reference screenshots
- Headline readable at thumbnail size64% of these screenshots, against 39% of all Reference screenshots
- A hand holds the phone32% of these screenshots, against 8% of all Reference screenshots
- Photo background32% of these screenshots, against 11% 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%
- A hand holds the phone28%
- No phone, bare screen27%
- Zoomed detail of the UI26%
- 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 no app screen?
21 of the top 100 Reference apps (21%) have at least one, and 25 of their 566 screenshots (4%) do it. Counted from the US App Store’s top free chart on October 9, 2026.
Which Reference apps have App Store screenshots with no app screen?
In the top ten: Live Translator: Translate + (#1) and AI Translator:Voice&Text&Photo (#6). Further down the chart: Bible Path: Prayers & Widgets (#13), Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab (#24), Creed: Bible Chat & Companion (#26), CCN: TCG & Collectible Alerts (#30) and Bible Bff-Modern Bible Stories (#37), and 14 more.
Should my Reference app have App Store screenshots with no app screen?
The chart shows who does it, not whether it would work for your app. 2 of the top ten Reference apps do it (20%), against 19 of the other 90 (21%), so the top ten do it about as often as 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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