# Paper vs Art Reference Board

The clearest difference is price: Art Reference Board at Free against Paper's $6.99. Art Reference Board also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.4). Paper's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Art Reference Board is free to download; Paper costs $6.99 up front. Art Reference Board sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Paper asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Paper against 5.0 for Art Reference Board. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Paper ships an update every 9 days, Art Reference Board every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paper | Art Reference Board |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper-3d-drawing-studio/id6765533141/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-reference-board-mica/id6800322337/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 3 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.4 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Imran Gul](https://appshunter.io/developer/1445508793) | [Rezonating Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631244037) |

## What reviewers say

### Paper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper-3d-drawing-studio/id6765533141)

Create intricate 3D models with a tactile, paper-art feel. This app offers unparalleled spatial freedom, allowing you to draw directly into 3D space without a canvas. Sculpt complex shapes using intuitive tools and realistic materials.

**Highlights:** Zero-canvas 3D drawing, Intuitive OmniJoystick control, Tactile drawing and geometry tools, Realistic material library, Cinematic lighting presets, Professional export options (USDZ, OBJ)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Art Reference Board

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-reference-board-mica/id6800322337)

Create and study visual references on an infinite canvas. Gather images, videos, and PDFs, then analyze color, value, and motion. Organize projects with pages, layers, and notes, and access references while working in other creative apps.

**Highlights:** Infinite canvas for image, video, and PDF collection, Color palette generation from dominant colors, Value studies with posterization, Animation and video frame-by-frame inspection, Timed reference studies with interval controls, Annotation and sketching with Apple Pencil, Always-on-top reference window

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mica Pro - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Mica Pro - Lifetime | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paper free?

Paper costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Art Reference Board free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Paper or Art Reference Board?

Paper and Art Reference Board are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Paper or Art Reference Board have ads?

Neither Paper nor Art Reference Board shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paper or Art Reference Board?

Paper ships an update every 9 days, and Art Reference Board every 10 days. Most recently, Paper was updated on October 22, 2026 and Art Reference Board 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.*