# Handy Art Reference Tool vs Artista

The clearest difference is price: Artista at Free against Handy Art Reference Tool's $1.99. Artista also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). Handy Art Reference Tool's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 17) and chart position (#77 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Artista is free to download; Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99 up front. Handy Art Reference Tool sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Artista asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Handy Art Reference Tool against 4.8 for Artista. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handy Art Reference Tool has 1.2K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Handy Art Reference Tool's written reviews are positive against 89% of Artista's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Handy Art Reference Tool | Artista |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-art-reference-tool/id478643661/reviews)** | [4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artista-drawing-reference/id6447208094/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | **88.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#77** | — |
| Size | 361 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Belief Engine](https://appshunter.io/developer/478643664) | [Max Buster](https://appshunter.io/developer/1680573093) |

## What reviewers say

### Handy Art Reference Tool

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

**Currently charting:** #77 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


### Artista

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artista-drawing-reference/id6447208094)

Access thousands of high-quality reference photos for your art. Share your creations, learn from others' interpretations, and track your artistic progress over time. This app also features an art community for inspiration and feedback.

**Highlights:** Thousands of reference photos, Share your drawings, View others' interpretations, Track progress, Art community

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handy Art Reference Tool free?

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

### Is Artista free?

Artista is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Handy Art Reference Tool is rated higher. Handy Art Reference Tool averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Artista averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

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

Neither Handy Art Reference Tool nor Artista shows ads.

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

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