Software Alternatives & Startups

PureRef VS Desmos

Compare PureRef VS Desmos and see what are their differences

PureRef

The simple way to view and organize your multiple reference images.

Rating
0 reviews
Desmos

A beautiful, innovative, and modern online graphing calculator.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Desmos seems to be a lot more popular than PureRef. While we know about 77 links to Desmos, we've tracked only 4 mentions of PureRef.

social mentions
4 vs 77
Productivity popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
120 vs 102

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

PureRef
Desmos
Website pureref.com desmos.com
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

PureRef 6 features
Desmos 5 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    PureRef offers a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy to organize and manage reference images. The minimalistic design allows users to focus on their work without unnecessary distractions.
  • Lightweight and Portable
    The software is lightweight and does not require installation, making it highly portable. Users can run PureRef from a USB drive or any location on their computer.
  • Flexible Canvas
    PureRef provides a flexible canvas that can be easily resized and adjusted to fit users’ needs. This allows for seamless scaling of images without quality loss and the ability to organize the workspace freely.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    PureRef is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing users to maintain a consistent workflow across different operating systems.
  • Customizable Shortcuts
    Users can customize keyboard shortcuts to fit their workflow, which increases efficiency and speeds up navigation within the software.
  • Multiple Image Formats
    PureRef supports a wide range of image formats, ensuring compatibility with most reference images beyond basic formats like JPG and PNG.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Editing Tools
    While PureRef excels in organizing and displaying reference images, it lacks advanced editing tools, which means users need to rely on other software for image adjustments or annotations.
  • No Cloud Integration
    PureRef does not offer built-in cloud storage or syncing options, which could be inconvenient for users who work across multiple devices and want seamless access to their reference boards.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic functionalities are easy to grasp, some advanced features and keyboard shortcuts may require time to learn and master, particularly for users new to PureRef.
  • Not Free for All Users
    Although PureRef offers a pay-what-you-want pricing model, users may face ethical dilemmas or budget constraints when deciding what to pay, especially if they plan to use it for professional purposes.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    Some users report occasional lag or performance issues when handling extremely large collections of high-resolution images, which can disrupt workflow.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Desmos offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that makes it accessible for users of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced mathematicians.
  • Interactive Graphing
    The platform provides dynamic graphing capabilities that allow users to manipulate functions and see changes in real-time.
  • Educational Resources
    Desmos offers a variety of teaching resources, such as pre-made activities and lesson plans, which are beneficial for instructors in a classroom setting.
  • Accessibility
    Desmos is web-based, meaning it can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, on multiple devices, enhancing its convenience and reach.
  • Free Usage
    Desmos is available for free, making it an attractive option for students and educators who need powerful graphing tools without any cost.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While Desmos is great for general graphing needs, it may lack advanced features required by professionals for more complex mathematical modeling.
  • Dependency on Internet
    As a web-based tool, Desmos requires a stable internet connection, which can be a limitation for users with unreliable internet access.
  • Feature Overload for Beginners
    Despite its user-friendly design, beginners might find the range of features overwhelming without proper guidance.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Users might have concerns about privacy and data security, particularly when using Desmos in educational settings, although the company strives to protect user information.
  • Customization Limitations
    Users may find limitations in terms of customizability when compared to other graphing software that provides extensive options for visual adjustments.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

PureRef 3 videos + Add
Desmos 3 videos + Add

The Best Free Tool for Artists - PureRef

More videos

  • - PureRef tutorial: a free, cross-platform virtual board for artists!
  • - PureRef Review

Desmos Review

More videos

  • - Desmos Activities Review
  • - Desmos Review: How to use Desmos classroom activity to teach Mathematics.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
PureRef
Desmos
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using PureRef and Desmos. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

PureRef no reviews yet
Desmos no reviews yet

We have no reviews of PureRef yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

PureRef 4 mentions
Desmos 77 mentions
  • how do u guys organize your visual inspiration/refs digitally?
    I mainly use offline means: organising all my files in a hierarchy of folders and using pureref (which I highly recommend) to make moodboards, and ofc an external hard drive to save backups. The only online means I use is google drive... Source: about 4 years ago
  • HELP! So I want to trace this Image(704x702) into a Pixel art (32 x 32 or 40 x 40) but when I resize it, it gets like this (2nd picture) and if I don't, then the pixels are too small, What do i do?
    If you just want the image to be a transparent overlay while you draw 'through the image'(with it being unchanged) you can use something like Pureref(pureref.com) to set the image as always on top + turn opacity down a bit. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Hide user name in menu bar.
    If you can’t get it to work inside of max, I thought of a free easy workaround you could try. I use the software pureref to manage and quickly access reference images. You could just resize an empty pureref window to cover your username.... Source: over 4 years ago

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  • What number raised to itself is equal to 1/2?
    Graphing x^x on desmos.com makes it look as though the value is always greater than 1/2. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Data Visualization: Sustainable Throughput Per Freight Car
    =) I've posted a link to the desmos.com page with the data that used to create the graph above in the first reply to the post. =). Source: over 3 years ago
  • How to check points of non differentiability and discontinuity of a given function in ?
    It might help to graph the function, for example using desmos.com. Source: over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to PureRef and Desmos

When comparing PureRef and Desmos, you can also consider the following products.