RefCanvas vs Valence 3D
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
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.
- 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
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Valence 3D is a powerful, beautiful & easy-to-use 3D polygon modeling design tool built from the ground up 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
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: RefCanvas at Free against Valence 3D's $19.99. RefCanvas also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Valence 3D's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 2.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On 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
RefCanvas is free to download; Valence 3D costs $19.99 up front. RefCanvas sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Valence 3D asks for nothing beyond the download.
Valence 3D holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Valence 3D has 116 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of RefCanvas's written reviews are positive against 60% of Valence 3D's.
RefCanvas ships an update every 17 months, Valence 3D every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RefCanvas | Valence 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 2.3 (7 ratings) | 4.2 (116 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 60.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 116 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #55 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 131 MB | 195 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | youcef boukit | Hi-Rez, LLC |
Customer experience
RefCanvas
Valence 3D
Bugs and requests
RefCanvas
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
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 moreShow fewer
- Improve performance and stability
- Add UV editing and texture support
- Implement keyboard shortcuts and power user features
In-app purchases
RefCanvas
- Pro version$2.99
- Pro version2 variants$3.99
Valence 3D
No in-app purchases









