ArtRef vs RefCanvas
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ArtRef
This app helps artists and creatives find and organize high-quality images from popular stock photo sites. It also offers timed sketching challenges to improve art skills using saved images.
- Image search from multiple stock sites
- Create and organize image collections
- Timed sketching challenges
- Improve art skills
- Offline access to saved images
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ArtRef is intended for the use of artist and creative individual who like to look up image and some how find themselves running out phone storage space due to so many images. The ArtRef application allow you to look up amazing quality image thankfully to website such as Flicker, Unplash, Pexels, ,Pixabay ,and then having the functionality of creating collections of galleries to organize with those images so you can easily access anytime and anyplace as long as the creator who provide those image on the various platform don't remove the image. You can also do time trial image sketch with the app using various time such as 30s , 60s, 5 min , and 30 min to overall improve art skills with the images your saved in your collections.
RefCanvas
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.
- 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
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RefCanvas is an intuitive tool for artists and designers who need a comprehensive reference app to bring their creative vision to life. Key Features: - Import images and gifs. - Notes - Add text notes. - Move, scale and rotate references to create the perfect layout. - Multi selection - edit multiple references at one. - Nodes - Useful for grouping references. - Drag and drop - Drag and drop files from others apps like the gallery. - Paste files from the clipboard. - Supports split screen and pop-up view: Use it as a companion app with your favorite drawing app like Ibis Paint or Infinite Painter. - Save your progress as boards for future use. - Auto set thumbnails for boards after saving. - Eye dropper - Tap and hold to pick a color from your references as a hex code. - Drawing. Animated GIF support: - Reference your favorite animated gifs. - Pause animation and play frame by frame to better understand referenced animations. - Animation timeline gives you an interactive visual breakdown of all the frames. Easy to use reference tools: - Grayscale toggle. - Flip horizontally and vertically. - Add link - allows you to visit the source of your reference. Export: Export boards to share. Export board as SVG. Export Images/Gifs as files. Using RefCanvas to make reference boards & mood boards is easy, simply import your images or gifs, and move them around the canvas to arrange them in the layout that works best for your project. You can adjust their size, rotation and position to your liking, giving you maximum control over your creative process.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ArtRef at 5.0 against RefCanvas's 2.3. ArtRef also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 17 months). RefCanvas's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 2). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. RefCanvas sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. ArtRef asks for nothing beyond the download.
ArtRef holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively.
ArtRef ships an update every 3 weeks, RefCanvas every 17 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | ArtRef | RefCanvas |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 2.3 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 42.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 17 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 131 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Wisterdy Alcida | youcef boukit |
Customer experience
ArtRef
RefCanvas
In-app purchases
ArtRef
No in-app purchases
RefCanvas
- Pro version$2.99
- Pro version2 variants$3.99









