Software Alternatives & Startups

PureRef VS tldraw

Compare PureRef VS tldraw and see what are their differences

PureRef

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

Rating
0 reviews
tldraw

A tiny little drawing app.

No screenshot yet
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

PureRef might be a bit more popular than tldraw. We know about 4 links to it since March 2021 and only 3 links to tldraw.

social mentions
4 vs 3
Productivity popularity
53% vs 47%
alternatives listed
66 vs 132

Base details

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

PureRef
tldraw
Website pureref.com tldraw.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

PureRef 6 features
tldraw 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.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    tldraw offers an intuitive and clean interface that makes it accessible for users of all skill levels, allowing them to create diagrams and drawings easily without a steep learning curve.
  • Real-Time Collaboration
    The platform supports real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same drawing simultaneously, which is ideal for team projects and remote working environments.
  • Cross-Platform Accessibility
    tldraw is web-based, making it accessible on various devices and operating systems without needing additional installations or software.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, developers have the freedom to contribute to its development or customize the tool according to their requirements.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more mature diagramming software, tldraw might lack some advanced features and functionalities that professionals might need for complex projects.
  • Performance Issues
    In some cases, users may experience performance issues or slowdowns when collaborating in real-time, especially with multiple users or larger projects.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Being a web-based application, tldraw requires a stable internet connection, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity or in situations where offline work is necessary.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any collaborative online tool, there might be concerns about data privacy and security, particularly when handling sensitive information.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

PureRef 3 videos + Add
tldraw 2 videos + Add

The Best Free Tool for Artists - PureRef

More videos

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

tldraw with Steve Ruiz

More videos

  • - TLDRAW 2017 UCI World Cup training

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
tldraw
53% 53%
47% 47%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using PureRef and tldraw. 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
tldraw 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
tldraw 3 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: over 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

  • Perfect Freehand – Draw perfect pressure-sensitive freehand lines
    This is by Steve Ruiz of https://tldraw.com, in case anyone noticed the similarity between the two. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Startups Shouldn't Start with Figma
    1) I agree with the article's opinion 100% (my tool of choice is [0]) 2) the whole article is just 2 pages of bullet lists. Awesome! [0] https://tldraw.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • free-for.dev
    Tldraw.com — Free open source white-boarding and diagramming tool with features such as smart arrows, snapping, sticky notes, and SVG export. Multiplayer mode for collaborative editing. Free official VS Code extension available as well. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

Alternatives to PureRef and tldraw

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