Comparison

CaseBack vs Reference

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

Head to head
About

CaseBack

Features
Read full description

Your watches deserve better than a spreadsheet. CaseBack is the private, offline home for your watch collection — every reference, photo, value and service record, in one beautiful app that never asks you to sign in. Built for collectors who care about privacy: no account, no forced cloud, nothing leaves your iPhone without your say-so. Your serial numbers and values are yours alone. YOUR COLLECTION, ORGANIZED â€ĸ Add unlimited watches — free, forever. Photos, movement, case size, reference, serial, box & papers. â€ĸ Search, sort and filter your grid at a glance. â€ĸ Watch your collection's total value update in real time. â€ĸ Native on iPad too, with a sidebar and large layouts. WEAR WHAT YOU OWN â€ĸ One tap to log the watch on your wrist today. â€ĸ See what you actually wear — rotation stats, streaks, most- and least-worn pieces. â€ĸ Let CaseBack suggest your watch of the day. KNOW WHAT IT'S WORTH â€ĸ Track each watch's value over time, with a clean history and chart. â€ĸ Total value, breakdown by brand and movement. NEVER MISS A SERVICE â€ĸ Service reminders and warranty alerts — a movement is never overdue. â€ĸ A full maintenance log: date, type, cost, watchmaker. READY IF THE WORST HAPPENS â€ĸ Export a polished insurance report (PDF & CSV): cover page, one page per watch, photos, serials and values. â€ĸ The file you'll be glad to have if a watch is lost or stolen. EVERY PAPER IN ITS PLACE â€ĸ Keep invoices, certificates, warranty cards and service papers as PDFs with each watch, up to 20 per watch. â€ĸ Preview them in the app and share the original file untouched. â€ĸ Your first 2 documents are free. PRIVATE BY DESIGN â€ĸ No account. No tracking. No ads. â€ĸ Face ID / Touch ID lock, free. â€ĸ Optional iCloud sync, encrypted on your own account. FREE VS PRO Free gives you unlimited watches, full detail, value, wear log, Face ID and 2 PDF documents — for good. Unlock Pro once for: rotation stats & history, value charts, multi-collections, wishlist, strap inventory, warranty tracking, service log, insurance export, watch documents (PDF), iCloud sync and themes. One-time purchase. Yours forever. No subscription, ever. Download CaseBack and give your collection the home it deserves.

About

Reference

Features
Read full description

Identify watches from a photo and keep the ones you spot in your own collection. The app interface is currently available in English. SPOT A WATCH Take a photo or choose one from your library. Reference helps identify the brand, model and, when the details support it, the reference number. Successful identifications are saved to your private collection. You can review the result and correct it afterward. BUILD YOUR COLLECTION Keep watches you have spotted alongside the ones you own. Return to the photographs, references and background that made each watch interesting. Your collection is private. MAKE EVERY DISCOVERY COUNT Work toward achievements for your discoveries, favorite watchmakers and collecting habits. Choose the badges you want to show on your profile. Eligible camera captures count toward spotting achievements. KEEP A WEAR HISTORY Log the watches you own and see what you actually wear. Your private wear history stays separate from the wrist checks you choose to share. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Post a wrist check, follow collectors, appreciate a watch and leave a comment. Public posts are moderated. Report and block controls are available in the app. REFERENCE PRO Get the monthly identification and watch-image allowances shown in the app, monthly wear summaries, and private purchase, service and value records. Five introductory identifications, manual collection entries, basic wear history and community participation are available without Pro. Reference helps with identification; it does not authenticate watches. Similar models may need another photograph or more information. Generated watch portraits can differ from the original. Private values are records you enter, not appraisals. Optional subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled through your Apple account. The store shows the current price and billing period before purchase. Deleting your Reference account does not cancel a subscription. Privacy: https://getreference.app/en/privacy Terms: https://getreference.app/en/terms Apple standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

CaseBack4 screens
Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Reference at every 2 days against CaseBack's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Both are free to download. CaseBack sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CaseBack ships an update every 3 weeks, Reference every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ¡ 5 level
CaseBack versus Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaseBackReference
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlex MasureH1TCH AI LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CaseBack

One-time1
  • CaseBack Pro$6.99
2 purchases

Reference

Subscriptions2
  • Reference Pro$5.991 Month
  • Reference Pro$49.991 Year

Questions

Is CaseBack free?
CaseBack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Reference free?
Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CaseBack or Reference have ads?
Neither CaseBack nor Reference shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CaseBack or Reference?
CaseBack ships an update every 3 weeks, and Reference every 2 days. Most recently, CaseBack was updated on October 31, 2026 and Reference on November 6, 2026.

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