# Art Reference vs ArtDeck

The clearest difference is monetization model: Art Reference at free with in-app purchases against ArtDeck's paid. ArtDeck's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Art Reference sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ArtDeck sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Art Reference against 4.8 for ArtDeck. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 5 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Art Reference ships an update every 2 weeks, ArtDeck weekly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Art Reference | ArtDeck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-reference-easel-assistant/id6752580673/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artdeck-art-reference-board/id6764851724/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 172 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gil Osborne](https://appshunter.io/developer/1135987694) | [Alexandre Alves](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895936528) |

## What reviewers say

### Art Reference

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

This app provides traditional artists with digital tools to aid in physical art creation. Features include value studies, gridlines, side-by-side reference viewing, and curated project collections. It offers a clean, ad-free experience designed for painters and illustrators.

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

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Full Access | $9.99 | one-time |


### ArtDeck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artdeck-art-reference-board/id6764851724)

Organize visual inspiration and study images with this app. Create moodboards by collecting images, videos, links, and notes, then analyze their composition, color, and values. Seamlessly sync your boards across all your Apple devices for easy access.

**Highlights:** Collect images, videos, and links, Create moodboards and reference boards, Analyze image values, color, and composition, Sync boards across Apple devices, Offline access to boards, Annotate and draw on images, Organize with infinite canvas

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7-Day Trial | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Art Reference free?

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

### Is ArtDeck free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Art Reference or ArtDeck?

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

### Do Art Reference or ArtDeck have ads?

Neither Art Reference nor ArtDeck shows ads.

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

Art Reference ships an update every 2 weeks, and ArtDeck weekly. Most recently, Art Reference was updated on November 5, 2026 and ArtDeck on November 5, 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.*