# DarkRef vs Masters Eye

The clearest difference is price: DarkRef at Free against Masters Eye's $3.99. DarkRef also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 1). Masters Eye's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 2.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads there is nothing between them.

DarkRef is free to download; Masters Eye costs $3.99 up front. DarkRef sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Masters Eye asks for nothing beyond the download.

Masters Eye holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

DarkRef ships an update every 3 weeks, Masters Eye every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DarkRef | Masters Eye |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkref-art-reference-board/id6757864307/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masters-eye/id6761856842/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 62 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Timothy Patrick Dommett](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869353422) | [Jonathan Brodish](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891783108) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Masters Eye

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masters-eye/id6761856842)

This reference study app helps artists improve their drawing and painting by simplifying visual information. It offers various study modes to analyze values, proportions, and composition, aiding in better artistic decision-making.

**Highlights:** Purpose-built Study Modes (Values, Squint, Pencil, Notan, Proportions), Import reference photos, Fast mode switching for drills, Split and compare workflow, Save results to Photos library, On-device image processing, No accounts or ad tracking

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DarkRef free?

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

### Is Masters Eye free?

Masters Eye costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DarkRef or Masters Eye?

Masters Eye is rated higher. DarkRef averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Masters Eye averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do DarkRef or Masters Eye have ads?

Neither DarkRef nor Masters Eye shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DarkRef or Masters Eye?

DarkRef ships an update every 3 weeks, and Masters Eye every 2 days. Most recently, DarkRef was updated on September 28, 2026 and Masters Eye on October 11, 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.*