PureRef

PureRef is a desktop reference-board app for people who gather images for painting, 3D modeling, or visual planning. It works best as a companion to another creative application, rather than as a shared team workspace. The free plan is for personal use; commercial users need a per-seat or small-studio license.

Overview

Images can come from a computer, a paste, or a browser drag-and-drop, making it practical to collect references without changing how you find them. PureRef is built to keep that material near the app you are working in: it can stay above a chosen application, while transparent-to-mouse mode lets clicks pass through to the window beneath. The FAQ says images and image data are stored locally and are not sent online.

Presentation mode and exports to JPG, PNG, BMP, or the original image format make a board usable beyond the working canvas. There is no collaboration, however, so teams needing shared boards should choose a collaborative alternative.

Key features

Organize and annotate

Tools to arrange and align images, quick notes, and desaturation turn a collection into a more deliberate reference board. The pen tool adds freehand marks and shapes, and animated GIFs include playback controls. Together, these features suit visual work that benefits from grouping, comparison, and annotation, without claiming to replace a full design or drawing app.

Fit the board around other work

Always-on-top, always-on-bottom, overlay, and transparent-to-mouse modes let users decide whether the board sits over or under their main application and whether it intercepts clicks. This is a useful distinction for artists who want references visible while working, but it remains a single-user workflow rather than a collaboration layer.

Supported formats include AVIF, GIF, HEIC, JPEG, PNG, PSD, SVG, TIFF, WEBP, and EXR. That breadth helps when references arrive in varied image formats. The privacy policy says anonymous usage statistics and crash reports are collected only if users opt in; anonymized crash reports are uploaded to Sentry. Idyllic Pixel says it processes personal information under the EU GDPR and Swedish tax and accounting laws.

Pricing

The Personal plan is free for one user, limited to personal use, hobbyists, and education. It is a reasonable fit for individual non-commercial work, but it does not cover paid commercial use.

Business annual subscription costs $8 a year, billed at $8 per seat per month on an annual subscription, with a stated 20% reduction from $10 per seat per month. It includes commercial use and priority support. Business monthly subscription costs $10 a month, billed at $10 per seat per month, with the same commercial-use and priority-support terms; the monthly option costs more per seat but avoids an annual subscription.

Small business costs $49, paid once. It covers commercial use for a maximum of three users per studio and includes free updates for version 2.x. That one-time option suits a small studio that can work within the seat cap and version-update terms; larger teams need a per-seat Business subscription. PureRef can be tried before purchase. The maker also provides a handbook, FAQ, forum, and contact form, although the EULA says the software has no specific support beyond what it and the website state.

Platforms

PureRef supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. That desktop coverage is useful for studios across those operating systems, but it is not a mobile or web-based board.

Who it's for

PureRef is a strong fit for individual artists, illustrators, and 3D modelers who want a local, flexible reference board beside their main application. Its commercial licenses also accommodate studios, provided they account for per-seat pricing or the three-user Small business limit. Choose something else if shared editing or a web-first workflow is central.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Multiple image-input routes and broad format support make collecting varied references straightforward.
• Pros: Window modes, arranging tools, notes, desaturation, and pen marks support an active reference workflow beside another app.
• Pros: Local image storage and optional telemetry give users a clear choice about whether anonymous usage and crash data are shared.
• Cons: No collaboration means boards are not shared team workspaces.
• Cons: Commercial use requires a paid license; the one-time Small business option is capped at three users and free updates apply to version 2.x.

Alternatives

For a wider set of mood-board options, browse Mood Board Software. Consider Adobe Firefly if you want a freemium tool available on mobile and the web; its free plan has limited daily generations. Milanote is a better fit for shared boards and cross-device access, though its free plan caps content at 100 notes, images, or links and 10 file uploads.

Moodis offers local mood boards on its free plan, with unlimited boards for personal, non-commercial use. Rayon is an alternative for users seeking a free editing experience with limited PDF and DWG export. ShopLook is another freemium option, with a creative canvas that remains free.

Soleil Clusters offers a free demo with 50 cards, unlimited clusters, and unlimited collaborators, subject to its upload caps. Kanvaz is a free, MIT-licensed option with no feature paywall. LibreMoodboards is a free, open-source option for Windows with no subscriptions, microtransactions, or paywalls.

Verdict

Choose PureRef if you want a local reference board that stays close to your creative application, with useful window controls and tools for arranging and marking images. Its clearest drawback is the lack of collaboration, while commercial users must budget for a license; teams that need shared boards should look elsewhere.