# Art Reference vs ArtDeck

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ArtDeck at none against Art Reference's 1. ArtDeck also leads on 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. ArtDeck asks for nothing beyond the download.

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 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Art Reference ships an update every 2 weeks, ArtDeck weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## 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 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artdeck-reference-board/id6764851724/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 172 MB | 76 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 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 |


### ArtDeck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artdeck-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:** none


## 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 no in-app purchases.

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

Art Reference and ArtDeck are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 4 ratings respectively.

### 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 September 27, 2026 and ArtDeck on October 8, 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.*