PureRef

PureRef suits artists, illustrators, and 3D modelers who want a dedicated image board beside their main application. Its focused arrangement tools and flexible window modes make it a strong individual reference workspace, but it is not a shared studio board.

Overview

Build a board from images on your computer, pasted images, or material dragged in from a browser. Arrangement and alignment tools, quick notes, and desaturation make it practical to shape a working collection rather than merely store images. Presentation mode and export to JPG, PNG, BMP, or the original image format help when a board needs to be shown or moved outside the app.

PureRef is designed to work alongside another application: it can remain above a chosen app, while transparent-to-mouse mode passes clicks through to the window beneath it. The FAQ says images and image data stay on the user's machine and are not sent to or stored online. Usage statistics and crash reports are opt-in; anonymized crash reports are uploaded to Sentry.

Key features

Tools for an active reference board

Always-on-top, always-on-bottom, overlay, and transparent-to-mouse modes let users decide how much the board occupies the screen and how it interacts with their main software. The pen tool adds freehand marks and shapes, and playback controls make animated GIF references usable in place. Support for AVIF, GIF, HEIC, JPEG, PNG, PSD, SVG, TIFF, WEBP, and EXR covers a broad range of image sources and formats.

These are focused tools for collecting and viewing references, not a collaboration system: PureRef has no collaboration. It fits a solo workflow better than a studio that needs people to work together in the same board.

Pricing

The Personal plan is free for personal use only, with a single-user hobbyist or educational license. That is a straightforward fit for individual learning and noncommercial work, but it does not cover commercial use.

Commercial users can choose a Business subscription at $8 a year, billed at $8 per seat per month with a 20% discount, or $10 a month, billed at $10 per seat per month. Both include commercial use, per-seat licensing, and priority support. The annual option lowers the per-seat monthly rate but commits the buyer to an annual subscription; monthly billing costs more per seat and avoids that annual term.

Small business costs $49, paid once and covers commercial use for a maximum of three users per studio, with free updates for version 2.x. Its one-time price avoids a recurring subscription, but the three-user ceiling makes it unsuitable for larger studios. PureRef can be tried before purchase, and buyers can choose to support its future development.

Platforms

PureRef runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it an option for artists using any of those desktop platforms. Its local image storage also suits users who prefer references to remain on their own machine.

Who it's for

Choose PureRef for a personal image workspace used alongside painting, illustration, or 3D software, especially when staying on top of another app and handling varied image formats matter. It is less suitable for teams that need shared boards, and commercial users should compare seat-based subscriptions with the three-user Small business license before settling on a plan.

Pros and cons

• Strong desktop workflow: Window modes, mouse pass-through, and arrangement tools keep references accessible without requiring a separate shared workspace.
• Broad image support: The listed formats include common raster images as well as PSD, SVG, and EXR.
• Local image data: Images and image data remain on the user's machine rather than being stored online.
• Commercial licensing needs attention: Personal is noncommercial, subscriptions are priced per seat, and Small business stops at three users per studio.
• No collaboration: Teams needing a shared working board should choose a tool built around shared boards instead.

Alternatives

Mood Board Software is the broader category to browse when comparing tools for building mood boards.

Choose Milanote instead if shared boards matter: its free plan includes unlimited shared boards, though it caps users at 100 notes, images, or links and 10 file uploads. Kanvaz is another free option, with no feature paywall and support for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Adobe Firefly is a freemium alternative with a free plan that limits daily generations. For the other linked alternatives, the available plan and platform details do not establish a more specific reason to choose one over PureRef.

Verdict

PureRef is a strong choice for an individual artist or modeler who wants a local, flexible reference board that can stay alongside their main application. Its key advantage is a focused desktop workflow with wide format support; look elsewhere if collaboration is central, or check the commercial license carefully if more than three studio users need coverage.