# Charactool vs DarkRef

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Charactool at 89% against DarkRef's 25%. Charactool also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (15 vs 4). DarkRef's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Charactool sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and DarkRef sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Charactool holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of Charactool's written reviews are positive against 25% of DarkRef's.

Charactool ships an update every 2 weeks, DarkRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Charactool | DarkRef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charactool-customizable-poser/id6739000030/reviews)** | [2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkref-art-reference-board/id6757864307/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 460 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UJULIN Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649041778) | [Timothy Patrick Dommett](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869353422) |

## What reviewers say

### Charactool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charactool-customizable-poser/id6739000030)

Create and customize 3D body models with adjustable parameters for height, build, and proportions. Pose characters precisely with intuitive controls and choose from various shading styles, including realistic and cel-shaded options. Export models in multiple 3D formats for use in other creative software.

**Highlights:** Customizable body types and proportions, Intuitive joint controls for posing, Multiple shading styles (realistic, cel-shaded), Anatomy shading for muscle detail, 3D export in GLB, FBX, OBJ, USDZ (Pro), Designed for illustrators and concept artists

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Charactool Plus – Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Charactool Pro – Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Charactool Plus – Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Charactool Pro – Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


### DarkRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkref-art-reference-board/id6757864307)

Organize your visual inspiration with images, GIFs, and notes. This app offers a free, intuitive platform for artists to manage references across all devices, with optional cloud sync for seamless backup and access.

**Highlights:** Unlimited boards and images, Image and GIF support, Notes and annotations, Folder organization, Offline access, Cross-device sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sync Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Sync Annual | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Charactool free?

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

### Is DarkRef free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Charactool or DarkRef?

Charactool is rated higher. Charactool averages 4.9 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while DarkRef averages 2.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Charactool or DarkRef have ads?

Neither Charactool nor DarkRef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Charactool or DarkRef?

Charactool ships an update every 2 weeks, and DarkRef every 3 weeks. Most recently, Charactool was updated on October 9, 2026 and DarkRef on September 28, 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.*