Comparison

VizRef vs Valence 3D

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VizRef

This app allows artists and animators to create visual reference boards using images and GIFs from various sources. It integrates with popular drawing applications, offering tools to organize and refine inspiration for creative projects.

Highlights
  • Create visual reference boards
  • Import images and GIFs from web, cloud, photos
  • Companion app for Procreate, Adobe Fresco, etc.
  • Organize inspiration with thumbnails
  • Animated GIF support with frame-by-frame playback
  • Image editing tools: crop, greyscale, flip, rotate
  • Drag and drop from web, batch import
Read full description

VizRef for iPad enables creatives to finally take their inspiration anywhere. It becomes the perfect companion app for Procreate® or paired with your favorite drawing/animation application by utilizing iPad IOS multitasking features. Clear up your hard to find hidden layers in your drawing app and easily organize your inspiration on the go. Make visual reference boards with any images or gifs from web browsers, cloud storage, photos, screen captures and more. The first mood board creation app made by artists for artists, that brings comprehensive referencing tools to animators and visual artists/en. We are dedicated to bringing creatives what they need most in being inspired everywhere they go. HIGHLIGHTS -Perfect companion app paired with Procreate® Adobe Fresco ® Clip Studio Paint® Infinite Painter® etc. by utilizing iPad IOS multitasking features -Supports many image types including GIF -Drag and drop from web -Batch Import from Photos app -Batch Export images from boards to cloud storage using Files app - *Multi-Select and auto pack images for a quicker workflow * -Import High-Resolution images with HD toggle _*Focus on whats importing with Focus mode. ( rotate imageboard ) -Batch Import from iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive with split-screen -Quick and responsive visual reference board experience -Easy to use/ minimal UI -Light mode and Dark mode -Set thumbnails for reference boards to visually organize your inspiration ANIMATED GIF SUPPORT -Reference your favorite animated gifs -Pause animation and play frame by frame to better understand referenced animations -Advanced animation timeline gives you an interactive visual breakdown of all frames EASY TO USE REFERENCE TOOLS -Crop images to optimize screen space and view more references -Greyscale toggle for images for value reference -Flip horizontally and vertically -Rotate Images -Copy-paste images into other apps Artwork and animation credits @_Artazi @_baomii @_Deadslug_ @amnesiapancake @barachan @belgeist @criisalys @ergo.josh @evan_monteiro @gloomwastaken @mrbeezul @onemegawatt @rocketboiART @samuelyounart @cobalt_requin VizRef was created by Max Gonzalez and RoboWorld Entertainment with supporting development from Valere Labs

About

Valence 3D

This app is a powerful yet user-friendly 3D modeling and design tool for iPad and iPhone. It offers a comprehensive set of tools for creating, importing, editing, and exporting 3D models, suitable for both beginners and professionals across various industries.

Highlights
  • Extensive primitive shapes library
  • Import and export various 3D file formats
  • Advanced modeling and mesh operations
  • Non-destructive mesh modifiers
  • Intuitive navigation and context-aware tools
  • Automatic saving and iCloud syncing
Features
Read full description

Valence 3D is a powerful, beautiful, minimal, and easy-to-use 3D Polygon & SubD modeling app for iPad & iPhone. No matter whether you're learning 3D modeling for the first time or a professional working in design, construction, gaming, web dev, digital fabrication, architecture, or spatial computing, Valence 3D has what you need to get started! CREATE, IMPORT, EDIT & EXPORT 3D MODELS • 25 primitive shapes are built-in & ready to help you start modeling: plane, box, sphere, squircle, rounded box, arc, circle, cylinder, tube, cone, capsule, torus, icosphere, pipe, revolve, helix, voronoi, text, super shape, noise surfaces, torus knot, faceted gem & tube. • Import existing models, reference images, lidar scans and room plans • Imports: OBJ, STL, USD, USDZ • Exports: PNG, SVG, OBJ, STL, USD, USDZ, GLTF, GLB • Knife tool to create complex and detailed geometry • Move, Rotate, & Scale gizmos make it easy to transform nodes, faces, edges & vertices • Powerful modeling gizmos for extruding, insetting, beveling, poking, creasing & cutting • Multiple selection & automatic loop selection help accelerate your modeling • Tap on one of the gizmo handles to bring up an input field for precise transformations & mesh operations • Robust snapping & alignment commands • Selection operations: grow, shrink, select shell & deselect • Mesh operations: duplicate, instance, set / center pivot, trim by plane, boolean, apply transform & subdivide • Face operations: separate, combine, bridge, extract, poke, collapse, delete, dissolve, harden & soften • Edge operations: extrude, insert vertex, collapse, dissolve, bridge, harden & soften • Vertex operations: insert edge, dissolve, delete & merge • Non-destructive & configurable mesh modifiers: mirror & subdivision • Apply complex transformations using different gizmo pivot points & orientations EASILY NAVIGATE & STAY IN FLOW WHILE DESIGNING • Carefully crafted & fully optimized for iPhone & iPad • Designed to minimize cognitive overload by only showing tools & commands that are contextually relevant • Easily navigate to any part of your model by dragging and pinching: two finger pinch to zoom and roll, and one finger drag to rotate • Pop into the standard orthographic views by tapping one of the handles of the orientation gizmo • Use two & three finger tap gestures to undo & redo • Select components by dragging or using the rectangular selection mode • Your work is saved automatically every two minutes and every time you go back to the gallery • Get an overview of your scene’s structure from the Outliner • Long press on a node in the Outliner to easily rename, duplicate, instance, delete, parent & reorder any object in your scene • Precisely adjust any node’s position, rotation & scale with the Inspector • Adjust material properties, display & modifier options with the Inspector STAY ORGANIZED ACROSS ALL YOUR DEVICES • Preview, share, duplicate, delete & rename your models from the gallery • iCloud syncing keeps all your models up to date, private & accessible across all your devices PREVIEW, MEASURE, & RENDER YOUR CREATIONS • 6 powerful rendering modes: Matcap, Modeling, Wireframe, Physically Based, X-Ray & Path Traced • Export renders in any aspect ratio & scale • Preview your model in AR in two taps • Export your scene as a USDZ & be confident it’ll look consistent on all Apple devices • Tweak your model’s material & see changes in real-time • Tweak-able scene settings: camera field of view, background type, blurriness, intensity & rotation • Get model measurements in one click • Add persistent dimensions between any two surfaces in your scene PURCHASE & COMPATIBILITY • One time purchase unlocks both iPhone & iPad versions • Apple Pencil supported on select iPads • 120 FPS supported on devices with ProMotion displays • Path Tracing is supported on iPads with M series chips & iPhones with A15 Bionic & later • Lidar Scan & Room Plan is supported on devices with a lidar sensor

Screenshots

Valence 3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: VizRef at $3.99 against Valence 3D's $19.99. VizRef also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 61%) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 18.0). Valence 3D's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#98 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

VizRef costs $3.99 and Valence 3D $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for VizRef against 4.2 for Valence 3D. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 291 and 121 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of VizRef's written reviews are positive against 61% of Valence 3D's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VizRef ships an update every 3 months, Valence 3D weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
VizRef versus Valence 3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVizRefValence 3D
Price$3.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.1 (291 ratings)4.2 (121 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.8% of reviews — better60.8% of reviews
Number of ratings291 — better121
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#98 — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS13.2 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB196 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStudio PixanohHi-Rez, LLC

Customer experience

VizRef

All ratings291 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral12.4%
Negative13.7%
Written reviews189 reviews
Positive69.8%
Neutral13.2%
Negative16.9%

Valence 3D

All ratings121 ratings
Positive76.0%
Neutral13.2%
Negative10.7%
Written reviews158 reviews
Positive60.8%
Neutral15.8%
Negative23.4%

User reviews

VizRef

From 291 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
  • 🎨 Helpful for organizing references
  • 💡 Useful for artists and creatives
  • 🔍 Convenient for gathering inspiration

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Lack of backup/sync options
  • 🖌️ No annotation or note-taking features
  • 🔀 Difficulty rearranging/moving images
  • 💾 Limited image storage capacity

Valence 3D

From 121 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great start
  • 👍 Intuitive UI
  • 💡 Powerful features
  • 🚀 Frequent updates
  • 👍 Clean and easy to use

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🐛 File loading/saving problems
  • 🐛 Unreliable selection and navigation
  • 🐛 Mesh corruption and data loss
  • 🐛 Lack of key modeling tools (boolean, curve, etc.)

Bugs and requests

VizRef

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashing when opening new boards
  • Issues with exporting boards and images
  • Losing images from boards unexpectedly
  • Limits on number of images per board

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add text/drawing tools for annotations
  • Implement cloud sync and backup options
  • Allow multi-select and batch operations
  • Provide more flexible image manipulation
  • Add folders/organization for boards

Valence 3D

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes on launch
  • Saved files not loading properly
  • Unreliable vertex/edge/face selection
  • Mesh corruption and data loss
  • Gizmo and navigation issues

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add boolean operations
  • Improve selection and navigation tools
  • Implement curve/spline primitives
  • Add more modeling modifiers (bevel, subdivision, etc.)
  • Provide more detailed documentation and tutorials
Show 3 more
  • Improve performance and stability
  • Add UV editing and texture support
  • Implement keyboard shortcuts and power user features

In-app purchases

None

VizRef

No in-app purchases

None

Valence 3D

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VizRef free?
VizRef costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Valence 3D free?
Valence 3D costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, VizRef or Valence 3D?
Valence 3D is rated higher. VizRef averages 4.1 out of 5 from 291 ratings, while Valence 3D averages 4.2 from 121 ratings.
Do VizRef or Valence 3D have ads?
Neither VizRef nor Valence 3D shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VizRef or Valence 3D?
VizRef ships an update every 3 months, and Valence 3D weekly. Most recently, VizRef was updated on October 5, 2026 and Valence 3D on October 12, 2026.

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