Comparison

Shape Sketch vs Proref

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Shape Sketch

Features
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Designed specifically for artists, illustrators, and art enthusiasts to help you master the art of shape simplification. Shape Sketch instantly transforms complex scenes into clear value structure diagrams, allowing you to observe how light influences form definition and enhance your painting and compositional reference skills. Core Features: β‘  Generate 2-5 step Notan compositions in real-time from camera preview with customizable colors β‘‘ Import and analyze images from your photo library β‘’ Customize precise threshold ranges and apply coloring to individual value levels β‘£ Desaturation and horizontal flip functions to assist compositional observation β‘€ Intuitive professional interface, and all processes completed offline on your device Use Cases: β‘  Composition studies and value planning before painting β‘‘ Shape analysis tool for visual art education β‘’ Reference for painting material collection, photography framing, and composition Support Email: hi@fuercat.com

About

Proref

Features
Read full description

Proref is where your references live while you draw β€” and where the finished piece goes afterwards. GATHER YOUR REFERENCES Drop everything you're looking at onto one huge canvas and arrange it into a board. Import from Photos, your camera, Files, a web link, the share sheet, or by dragging straight in from Safari. Zoom from 2% to 25,600%, so the board grows with the project. WORK BESIDE THEM Proref is built for Split View: your references on one side, your drawing app on the other. Sketch and annotate over them with Apple Pencil, with pressure. Tune brightness, contrast and saturation, or crop non-destructively β€” the original is always recoverable. A minimap shows where you are, and saved views jump you back to any spot in one tap. KEEP THE PIECE, AND THE LESSON When something's finished, keep it. Attach a piece to the board it came from, open it full screen, and see everything you've made on a dated timeline β€” as a gallery to swipe or a list to scan. Note what worked and what didn't while it's fresh, star the things to carry forward, and those notes sit in a pane on the board while you draw the next one. If you'd rather Proref stayed purely a reference app, turn the art journey off in Settings and it does. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT No accounts. No sign-in. No server. No tracking, no analytics, no ads. Your boards, your artworks and your critique notes stay on your device. FREE, WITH A ONE-TIME UNLOCK Proref is free to use with 2 boards, 10 images per board, 3 saved views, 5 finished artworks, and 3 focused critique notes per piece. Proref Pro removes those limits and unlocks every feature β€” a single one-time purchase, not a subscription. Buy it once and restore it on your other devices.

Screenshots

Shape Sketch4 screens
Proref4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Proref at every 6 days against Shape Sketch's every 9 months. Proref also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Shape Sketch sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Proref sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shape Sketch ships an update every 9 months, Proref every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 3, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Shape Sketch versus Proref: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShape SketchProref
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 6 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS17.615.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size5 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer川 丁John Oliver Atienza

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Shape Sketch

One-time1
  • Shape Sketch Pro$3.99
1 purchases

Proref

One-time1
  • Proref Pro$7.99

Questions

Is Shape Sketch free?
Shape Sketch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Proref free?
Proref is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shape Sketch or Proref have ads?
Neither Shape Sketch nor Proref shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shape Sketch or Proref?
Shape Sketch ships an update every 9 months, and Proref every 6 days. Most recently, Shape Sketch was updated on October 3, 2026 and Proref on October 3, 2026.

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