# Mainplate vs Reference

The clearest difference is update cadence: Reference at every 2 days against Mainplate's every 6 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mainplate sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Reference sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mainplate ships an update every 6 days, Reference every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mainplate | Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Size | 19 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jacopo Caggiano](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895834300) | [H1TCH AI LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891485412) |

## What reviewers say

### Mainplate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mainplate-watch-collection/id6764563800)

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Collector · Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro · Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Collector · Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| Pro · Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $89.99 | one-time |


### Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reference-watch-identifier/id6812287258)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reference Pro | $5.99 | per month |
| Reference Pro | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mainplate free?

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

### Is Reference free?

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

### Do Mainplate or Reference have ads?

Neither Mainplate nor Reference shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mainplate or Reference?

Mainplate ships an update every 6 days, and Reference every 2 days. Most recently, Mainplate was updated on October 28, 2026 and Reference on October 29, 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.*