# ImagineFX vs Handy Art Reference Tool

The clearest difference is price: ImagineFX at Free against Handy Art Reference Tool's $1.99. ImagineFX also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Handy Art Reference Tool's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 54%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

ImagineFX is free to download; Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99 up front. ImagineFX sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Handy Art Reference Tool sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Handy Art Reference Tool holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 627 and 1.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of ImagineFX's written reviews are positive against 85% of Handy Art Reference Tool's.

ImagineFX ships an update every 3 months, Handy Art Reference Tool every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ImagineFX | Handy Art Reference Tool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (627 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imaginefx/id451426922/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-art-reference-tool/id478643661/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 627 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 54.3% of reviews | **85.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#73** |
| Size | 25 MB | 361 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Future plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/378460265) | [Belief Engine](https://appshunter.io/developer/478643664) |

## What reviewers say

### ImagineFX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imaginefx/id451426922)

This app is a digital magazine for fantasy and sci-fi digital artists. It offers expert-led workshops, galleries, interviews with top illustrators, and reviews of creative tools. It's designed to inspire and guide both hobbyists and professionals in mastering digital art.

**Highlights:** Expert-led workshops, Artist interviews, Step-by-step tutorials, Community spotlights, Tool and software reviews, Curated artwork galleries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Month Subscription | $31.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| ImagineFX Annual 2025 | $1.99 | one-time |
| May 2012 | $7.99 | one-time |
| August 2012 | $7.99 | one-time |
| October 2012 | $7.99 | one-time |
| November 2012 | $7.99 | one-time |
| The Digital Artist's Survival Guide | $11.99 | one-time |
| All ImagineFX back issues | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Inspiring content and great resources for artists
- 👍 Useful video tutorials and links
- 💻 Convenient digital format

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- ⏱️ Slow page loading and rendering
- 💸 Expensive digital subscription
- 🤔 Confusing purchase and restoration process
- 🔍 Difficulty browsing and finding content

**Reported bugs**

- Issues not displaying properly offline
- Purchased content disappearing or not accessible
- Inconsistent behavior when restoring purchases

**Requested features**

- Ability to access CD/digital content included with print subscription
- Improved offline support and caching
- Bookmarking, highlighting, and annotation tools
- Better organization and navigation of back issues
- Cross-device syncing of purchases and library


### Handy Art Reference Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-art-reference-tool/id478643661)

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This app provides artists with rotatable 3D models of hands, heads, and feet for drawing reference. Customize poses and lighting to achieve realistic results for your artwork. Additional packs for animal skulls and foot rigs are available for purchase.

**Highlights:** Rotatable 3D limb models, Customizable poses, Adjustable 3-point lighting, 3D head busts, Animal skull reference pack, Material editing

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feet Models | $1.99 | one-time |
| Animal Skull Pack | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for drawing reference
- 🔍 Useful for lighting and shading
- 🎨 Great for hands and heads
- 💡 Customizable lighting and poses
- 🎨 Diverse skin tone options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on some devices
- 💰 In-app purchases for additional content
- 🤔 Limited model variety (no full bodies)
- 🤔 Difficulty with precise positioning
- 🤔 Lighting controls could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch for some users
- Purchased content not unlocking
- Positioning and movement issues

**Requested features**

- Add full body models and poses
- Include more facial expressions and emotions
- Allow for custom hand and finger posing
- Implement ability to save custom poses
- Add more diverse skin tones and ethnicities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ImagineFX free?

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

### Is Handy Art Reference Tool free?

Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ImagineFX or Handy Art Reference Tool?

Handy Art Reference Tool is rated higher. ImagineFX averages 4.6 out of 5 from 627 ratings, while Handy Art Reference Tool averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do ImagineFX or Handy Art Reference Tool have ads?

Neither ImagineFX nor Handy Art Reference Tool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ImagineFX or Handy Art Reference Tool?

ImagineFX ships an update every 3 months, and Handy Art Reference Tool every 5 months. Most recently, ImagineFX was updated on October 16, 2026 and Handy Art Reference Tool on October 17, 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.*