Comparison

Reference Board vs LiquidThemes

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

Head to head
About

Reference Board

This app offers an infinite canvas for visually organizing thoughts and inspiration. Users can drop in various media types, arrange them freely, and zoom in or out to explore connections. Instant search functionality helps locate specific items across all boards.

Highlights
  • Infinite canvas
  • Visual idea organization
  • Supports images, videos, quotes
  • Freeform arrangement
  • Instant search
  • Zoom in/out functionality
Features
Read full description

Reference Board is a private visual workspace for collecting inspiration, developing ideas, and keeping creative research close at hand on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. BUILD VISUAL BOARDS • Collect images, videos, links, text, colors, and PDFs in one place. • Arrange references freely on an infinite canvas or switch to an organized grid. • Move, resize, group, stack, crop, flip, and annotate without changing your original media. • Use the loupe to inspect fine details in images and videos. FIND WHAT YOU NEED • Search across boards and references. • Use on-device analysis, OCR, colors, metadata, and visual similarity to rediscover material quickly. • Keep notes and details attached to the work they describe. SYNC, COLLABORATE, AND SHARE • Keep your library in sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad with iCloud. • Invite others to collaborate on shared boards. • Publish a separate public, view-only webpage when you want to present your work more widely. • Update or unpublish a published board whenever you like. WORK YOUR WAY • Import from Photos, Files, Safari, drag and drop, or the Share Sheet. • Export boards as images, PDFs, or Reference Board archives. • Use widgets, Shortcuts, the screen saver, and optional MCP automation to connect Reference Board to your workflow. ONE PURCHASE. NO SUBSCRIPTION. New customers receive Reference Pro with their App Store purchase, including unlimited private boards and items, Publish to Web, AI metadata and visual discovery, new collaborations, PDF export, and MCP automation. People who acquired Reference while it was free keep their existing Free plan with one private board and up to 20 items. They can unlock lifetime Reference Pro with a one-time in-app purchase. Reaching a Free limit never deletes or hides existing work. Original paid-app customers and people who already purchased lifetime Reference Pro keep permanent Pro access automatically.

About

LiquidThemes

Read full description

Welcome to the future of iOS customization. LiquidThemes doesn't just change your background—it transforms your entire device into a reactive, 5D holographic experience using the bleeding edge of Apple's graphics engine. FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND FEATURES: Liquid Gravity: Watch your interface physically slosh and tilt as you rotate your device, powered by native gyroscopic sensors. Spatial AR Projections: Tap a button to project a 3D levitating holographic preview of your theme directly into your physical room before you apply it. Reactive StandBy Mode: Turn your phone sideways while charging to activate a futuristic, glowing liquid glass nightstand clock. AI Mood Glass (VIP): Let our generative AI craft a completely unique, living Metal shader for your screen every single day. PREMIUM THEMES INCLUDE: Cyber Liquid: Reactive gradient blooms. Neon Dimension: 5th-dimensional parallax effects. Glass OS: Ultra-premium frosted transparency. Push your iPhone to its absolute limits. Select your reality today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Reference Board4 screens
LiquidThemes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: LiquidThemes at Free against Reference Board's $5.99. Reference Board's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and chart position (#31 vs unranked). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

LiquidThemes is free to download; Reference Board costs $5.99 up front. LiquidThemes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Reference Board asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Reference Board versus LiquidThemes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReference BoardLiquidThemes
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#31 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB1 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperJordan RuchtieNICHOLAS ERWIN HEITKAMP

In-app purchases

None

Reference Board

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

LiquidThemes

Subscriptions1
  • VIP Access$19.991 Month
One-time5
  • Neon Dimension Theme$0.99
  • Glass OS Theme$0.99
  • Cyber Liquid Theme$1.99
Show 2 more
  • Liquid Gravity Effect$3.99
  • Liquid StandBy Clock$5.99

Questions

Is Reference Board free?
Reference Board costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is LiquidThemes free?
LiquidThemes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reference Board or LiquidThemes have ads?
Neither Reference Board nor LiquidThemes shows ads.

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