Software Alternatives & Startups

PureRef VS Iconbuddy

Compare PureRef VS Iconbuddy and see what are their differences

PureRef

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

Rating
0 reviews
Iconbuddy

200K+ open source SVG icons, fully customizable!

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium $89 / One-off

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, PureRef should be more popular than Iconbuddy. It has been mentioned 4 times since March 2021.

social mentions
4 vs 2
Productivity popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
120 vs 240+

Base details

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

PureRef
Iconbuddy
Website pureref.com iconbuddy.com
Pricing —
Freemium $89 / One-off
Platforms —
Figma VS Code Extension
Company — 2023
Listed in

About PureRef and Iconbuddy

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

PureRef
Iconbuddy

No description of PureRef yet.

Iconbuddy is a search engine that allows you to search, download, customize, and edit over 180,000 open source icons. It offers a wide selection of SVG, PNG, WEBP, JSX, VUE, BASE64, URLs, CSS snippets, and HTML image tags.

Read more about Iconbuddy

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

PureRef 6 features
Iconbuddy 4 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.
  • Extensive Icon Library
    Iconbuddy offers a vast collection of icons, providing users with a wide array of options to choose from for various design projects.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform is designed with ease of use in mind, allowing users to easily search for and customize icons without any hassle.
  • High-Quality Vector Icons
    All icons available on Iconbuddy are high-quality vectors, ensuring that they can be scaled to any size without losing clarity.
  • Regular Updates
    The platform is regularly updated with new icons and features, keeping the resource fresh and up to date with design trends.

Possible disadvantages

  • Subscription Cost
    While Iconbuddy offers a free tier, access to all features and icons requires a subscription, which might not be feasible for all users.
  • Limited Free Access
    The free version of Iconbuddy provides limited access to icons, which may not be sufficient for users who require a broader range of options.
  • Internet Dependency
    Iconbuddy is an online platform, meaning users need an internet connection to access the full range of icons and features.
  • License Restrictions
    There may be specific licensing requirements for using certain icons, which users must adhere to, potentially complicating usage for commercial projects.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

PureRef 3 videos + Add
Iconbuddy 1 video + Add

The Best Free Tool for Artists - PureRef

More videos

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

Iconbuddy

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
Iconbuddy
100% 100%
0% 0%
13% 13%
87% 87%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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

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Social recommendations and mentions

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

PureRef 4 mentions
Iconbuddy 2 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

View more

  • My boring icon search website making $4k per month
    Hi, My name is Danish(b. 1992, India) is an Entrepreneur & building things for the Internet since 2012. 6 months back I acquire a project with $0 revenue, no traffic, but I like the idea and I believe that this will fun to work on that.... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • 180k+ Open Source Free Icons
    Go and checkout here → https://iconbuddy.app. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago

Alternatives to PureRef and Iconbuddy

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