# Gathered vs HyperRef

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HyperRef at 100% against Gathered's 47%. HyperRef also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.9) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). Gathered's advantage is ratings volume (17 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gathered sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and HyperRef sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HyperRef holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gathered has 17 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Gathered's written reviews are positive against 100% of HyperRef's.

Gathered ships an update monthly, HyperRef every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gathered | HyperRef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gathered-design-inspiration/id1302737642/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hyperref/id6743102705/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 47.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nikola Kirev](https://appshunter.io/developer/418759284) | [Seth Kenneth Berggren](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801346715) |

## What reviewers say

### Gathered

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gathered-design-inspiration/id1302737642)

This app helps you curate a digital library of inspiring images for your creative projects. Easily collect visuals from photos, your camera roll, or other apps, and organize them into custom collections with notes and color palettes. Sync your library across devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Collect images from various sources, Organize into custom collections, Extract color palettes, Add notes and edit image details, Sync across devices with iCloud, Drag & Drop functionality

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Gathered Pro | $24.99 | one-time |


### HyperRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hyperref/id6743102705)

Create and organize your personal art reference library with powerful import and study tools. Analyze images by value, contrast, and color, and track your artistic progress with attached studies. Secure your sensitive collections with biometric protection.

**Highlights:** Web import for bulk image saving, Analyze images by value, contrast, color, Timed practice and study modes, Attach sketches to references, Biometric collection protection, Smart collections and organization, Offline access with iCloud sync

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HyperRef Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gathered free?

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

### Is HyperRef free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Gathered or HyperRef?

HyperRef is rated higher. Gathered averages 3.9 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while HyperRef averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Gathered or HyperRef have ads?

Neither Gathered nor HyperRef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gathered or HyperRef?

Gathered ships an update monthly, and HyperRef every 2 months. Most recently, Gathered was updated on September 14, 2026 and HyperRef on June 9, 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.*