BeeRef vs PureRef: Free Boards, Features, and Libraries

This comparison is from refern. Our app joins an Eagle-style library, a PureRef-style canvas, and an Obsidian-style graph of links. A paid library is not needed for every task. Start with what you need from a board.

How do BeeRef and PureRef compare?

Both tools let you keep images in view while you make art. BeeRef focuses on a simple board. PureRef adds more scene tools. Their guides do not document a library-wide tag database or search across boards, so do not confuse scene tools with a file library.

The table uses the BeeRef guide and PureRef handbook, reviewed September 5, 2026. “Not in its public feature list” is a limit of the evidence, not a claim from a full app test.

When is BeeRef enough?

Choose BeeRef if you want a free board to hold a few reference images while you draw. You can move and resize images, add notes, and keep the board on top. Its open-source license also matters if you want to inspect or change the code.

Try a real scene before you move your work. Check how it opens, how you arrange images, and how it saves on your system. A short trial with your own files is more useful than choosing by a long feature list.

When should you choose PureRef?

Choose PureRef if you mark up your reference board as you work. Its pen and shape tools can help you trace a line of action or point out a form. Its mouse pass-through mode lets clicks reach the app below the board.

If you already use those tools every day, a simpler board may not fit. Keep the features that help you draw. See the PureRef alternatives guide if you need a different mix of tools.

How do they store your images?

BeeRef stores images inside a .bee scene as PNG or JPG data. PureRef embeds local images by default, but can link them to disk files instead. That choice affects what you need to keep when you move or back up a board.

An embedded scene carries its image data. A linked scene still needs its source files. Neither method means you should discard your originals without checking the result. See PureRef's storage settings and our reference backup guide.

What do they cost?

BeeRef is free under the GPL-3.0 open-source license. PureRef has separate personal and business choices. Its Small Business license is $49 one-time as of September 5, 2026. Check the rules that apply to your work on the PureRef download page.

For the personal-use rules, see is PureRef free for commercial use?. Free personal use and paid client work are not the same license choice.

When does refern's library help?

A library helps when the hard part is finding an old image. You might remember a pose but not which board holds it. In refern, folders, tags, and search help you find the source file, then put it on a canvas.

A normal workspace reads existing files in place. Imports and copy actions can create files. The app runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and costs $35 one-time after a 30-day trial.

Use the reference board app if you want that library and canvas together. Keep BeeRef or PureRef if a focused board already does the job.