# Art Reference vs DarkRef

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Art Reference at 100% against DarkRef's 25%. Art Reference also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.8) and monetization model (free vs freemium). DarkRef's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Art Reference sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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.

Art Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Art Reference's written reviews are positive against 25% of DarkRef's.

Art Reference ships an update every 2 weeks, DarkRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Art Reference | DarkRef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-reference-easel-assistant/id6752580673/reviews)** | [2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkref-art-reference-board/id6757864307/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 172 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gil Osborne](https://appshunter.io/developer/1135987694) | [Timothy Patrick Dommett](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869353422) |

## What reviewers say

### Art Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-reference-easel-assistant/id6752580673)

This app provides digital reference tools for traditional artists working with physical media. It offers features like value studies, gridlines, side-by-side comparison, and composition adjustments to aid in creating accurate and balanced artwork.

**Highlights:** Value study mode, Gridlines for accurate sketching, Side-by-side reference and canvas view, Crop and frame reference images, Curated starter project collections, Color harmony experimentation, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Full Access | $14.99 | one-time |


### 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 Art Reference free?

Art Reference 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, Art Reference or DarkRef?

Art Reference is rated higher. Art Reference averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while DarkRef averages 2.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Art Reference or DarkRef have ads?

Neither Art Reference nor DarkRef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Art Reference or DarkRef?

Art Reference ships an update every 2 weeks, and DarkRef every 3 weeks. Most recently, Art Reference was updated on September 27, 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.*