Software Alternatives & Startups

PureRef VS MaxCut

Compare PureRef VS MaxCut and see what are their differences

PureRef

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

Rating
0 reviews
MaxCut

The Complete Cut List Optimization & Costing Solution for Woodworkers, Joiners and Cabinetry Professionals.

Rating
5.0 · 3 reviews
Pricing
Freemium $20 / Monthly (Business Edition)

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, PureRef seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 4 times since March 2021.

social mentions
4 vs 0
Productivity popularity
49% vs 51%
alternatives listed
144 vs 240+

Base details

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

PureRef
MaxCut
Website pureref.com maxcutsoftware.com
Pricing
Freemium $20 / Monthly (Business Edition) Official pricing
Platforms
Windows
Company Startup from New Zealand · 1 - 9 employees · 2019
Listed in

About PureRef and MaxCut

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

PureRef
MaxCut

No description of PureRef yet.

MaxCut is cut list optimization software for professional cabinet makers, joiners, and woodworking shops. It reduces sheet material waste, speeds up cut planning, and gives small-scale cabinetry businesses accurate control over job costing and profit margins. Key features include: professional...

Read more about MaxCut

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

PureRef 6 features
MaxCut 10 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.
  • Efficient Cutting Diagrams
    With intelligent algorithms, MaxCut calculates the best way to cut up your boards and panels, so you get the most out of every sheet. You’re always in control, with adjustable cuttings settings. Keep more of your profits by reducing waste.
  • Wide Range of Materials
    MaxCut accommodates an impressive variety of materials and component types, allowing you to tackle projects ranging from standard melamine to exotic veneers with ease. Count on MaxCut’s extensive range of materials for a truly versatile workshop experience.
  • Precise Professional Quotes & Offers
    Picture sending out a precise, professional proposal in moments. If a client needs a last-minute tweak, no sweat—MaxCut’s mass-change feature lets you adjust one detail or the entire quote in just a few clicks. It’s quick, accurate, and gives your customers total confidence in your work.
  • Know Your Costs & Profit Margins
    Instantly see how each material choice affects your bottom line. You’ll know your exact costs—and profit margins—in real time. Need to switch up materials or adjust a dimension? No problem. Just make the change, and watch your numbers update on the spot.
  • Massively Time-Saving
    Automated cut list creation, presaved product catalgoues and mass changes mean you spend less time planning and more time delivering quality cabinets.Gone are the days of spending hours and hours on repetitive simple cutlist tasks.
  • Master Complex Projects with Ease
    Handle complex projects seamlessly. MaxCut links all your products and parts, ensuring that things are organised and easy to adjust. Handle large jobs with many materials and parts in a fraction of the time.
  • Create Your Own Product Catalog
    Store your favorite products, dimensions, and parts in one place. When it’s time to start a new job, simply select what you need, tweak a few settings, and get started—no repetitive data entry.
  • Advanced Cabinetry Features
    Tackle complex cabinetry tasks with ease—from tension-free cuts and precise holes and grooving to customizable settings for different sheet materials. Tackle even the most demanding cabinet jobs with total confidence.
  • Print Part Labels
    Tired of mixing up parts mid-project? Generate clear part labels—including part dimensions, materials, etc — and print them in just a few clicks. It’s an easy way to stay on top of every piece from rough cuts to final assembly.
  • Extensive Integration Capabilities
    Whether you’re using Excel, design software or project management tools, MaxCut slots right in for seamless data exchange and smoother workflows.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

PureRef 3 videos + Add
MaxCut 3 videos + Add

The Best Free Tool for Artists - PureRef

More videos

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

Getting Started in MaxCut

More videos

  • - Demo
  • - A quick look at MaxCut

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
MaxCut
49% 49%
51% 51%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
100% 100%
0% 0%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing PureRef and MaxCut.

What makes your product unique?

MaxCut's answer:

At MaxCut, we stand out by hyper-focusing on making complex cutlist tasks simple for our target audience. We cater specifically for small businesses in cabinetry and joinery and offer a remarkably capable free edition that covers the most important optimization needs without excessively pressuring users to upgrade. We've taken a targeted, opinionated approach to building MaxCut, focussing on what a small cabinerty and joinery business will need. This keeps MaxCut straightforward and easy to use for that audience.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

MaxCut's answer:

  • Professional cabinetry business
  • Cabinetry manufacturer
  • Joiner/Joinery

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

MaxCut's answer:

While we do serve larger clients with multiple licenses, our real pride lies in the tens of thousands of active small to medium-sized businesses around the globe that use MaxCut every day. They’re the heart of our community and the driving force behind our commitment to making professional cutlist optimization accessible and user-friendly for all.

What's the story behind your product?

MaxCut's answer:

After spending over a decade in a previous business building complex software that required months to set up and years to master, the founders of MaxCut decided never again! That decision gave birth to MaxCut. Driven by talented software engineers passionate about creating a software product that’s incredibly quick and simple to set up (you can do it in minutes), easy to use, and immediately valuable. MaxCut is our passion project. We’re continually evolving MaxCut to meet the real-world needs of small and medium-sized businesses in the cabinetry and joinery industry. Keeping things simple and easy to use.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

MaxCut's answer:

  • Focussed on Cabinetry and Joinery Industry: Rather than trying to serve every industry, MaxCut concentrates on the specific needs of small businesses in cabinetry and joinery—ensuring each feature is directly relevant to users in those industries.

  • Simplicity: MaxCut is designed with ease of use in mind, making even complex tasks intuitive and straightforward.

  • Generous Free Edition: Our free version delivers robust optimization tools without pressuring you to upgrade.

  • Reliable Support: When you need assistance, our support team is quick to respond and genuinely helpful.

  • Regular Software Updates: We frequently improve MaxCut, often releasing new functionality each month.

  • Great Value for Money: The savings in material and time you’ll gain from MaxCut significantly outweigh the cost of the software.

User comments

Share your experience with using PureRef and MaxCut. 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
MaxCut 5.0 · 3 reviews

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

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Social recommendations and mentions

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

PureRef 4 mentions
MaxCut 0 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: about 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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Tracking MaxCut since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to PureRef and MaxCut

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