# DarkRef vs Colour Detective

The clearest difference is ads: DarkRef at none against Colour Detective's shown. DarkRef also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Colour Detective's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DarkRef sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Colour Detective sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DarkRef ships an update every 3 weeks, Colour Detective every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DarkRef | Colour Detective |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkref-art-reference-board/id6757864307/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 62 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Timothy Patrick Dommett](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869353422) | [App Modern](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896331632) |

## 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 |


### Colour Detective

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colour-detective/id6766854924)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Colour Detective Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Colour Detective Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DarkRef free?

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

### Is Colour Detective free?

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

### Do DarkRef or Colour Detective have ads?

Colour Detective shows ads; DarkRef does not.

### Which is updated more often, DarkRef or Colour Detective?

DarkRef ships an update every 3 weeks, and Colour Detective every 2 days. Most recently, DarkRef was updated on September 28, 2026 and Colour Detective on October 16, 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.*