Your references deserve more than a desktop window.
PureRef is great for collecting images. Grein takes that canvas further. Bring images, videos, links, documents and notes together, organize ideas into a bigger picture, and share your work with anyone. Your boards stay accessible across devices, so your thinking isn't tied to one computer.
In shortPureRef gives you a focused desktop canvas for visual references. Grein gives you a place to develop those references into real work. Access boards from any device, bring mixed media together, share with clients, gather feedback and use optional AI to explore ideas. Keep using PureRef if you rely on its always-on-top window or need to work offline. Switch to Grein when you want your references to go further.
When collecting references isn't enough
PureRef makes it easy to gather images and keep them visible while you work. But creative work rarely stops at collecting references. You need to share direction with a client, add a brief, gather feedback, or connect scattered inspiration into a plan. And when your board lives as a .pur file on one computer, bringing someone else into that process takes extra steps.
Grein gives your references room to become something bigger. Keep images beside videos, links, documents and notes on an open canvas. Access the same boards from any computer, share a view link instead of sending files, and invite others to contribute. When you're ready to move from looking at ideas to thinking them through, optional AI can help you explore what's on your board. It's not just a place to collect inspiration. It's a place to work with it.
Grein vs PureRef
| Feature | Grein | PureRef |
|---|---|---|
| Where boards live | In your account, so they open on any computer | As .pur files on your computer |
| What goes on a board | Images, video, audio, links, PDFs, notes, sketches and nested boards | Images, quick notes and drawn shapes (circles, rectangles, arrows) |
| Sharing | Public view links, no sign-in needed; invite editors and viewers | Not mentioned on their homepage |
| Feedback | Comments and project chat on the board | Not mentioned on their homepage |
| Stays on top of other apps | No, it’s a browser tab or app window | Yes, with a minimal interface |
| Price | Free plan with unlimited canvas blocks and up to 2 projects; Pro adds unlimited projects and larger uploads | Pay what you want for personal use; $49 one-time for studios of up to 3 people; $8–$10 per seat a month for businesses |
| Apps | Web, desktop (beta), and mobile | Windows, macOS and Linux |
| AI | Optional: an assistant you ask about a board, and suggestions that stay off until you turn them on for a project. Grein doesn’t train AI on your work. | Not mentioned on their homepage |
PureRef details are taken from pureref.com, its download page and its handbook. Last checked October 28, 2026. See current Grein plans on the pricing section.
Is Grein right for you?
Grein is a good fit if
- You want your reference boards available on every computer without manually moving files around.
- You need to share creative direction with clients or art directors without asking them to install an app.
- You work with more than images and want videos, links, documents and notes alongside your references.
- You want your board to grow with the project, from initial inspiration to briefs, sketches, feedback and planning.
- You want to collaborate on a board instead of sending screenshots back and forth.
- You want optional AI to help you think through the references and ideas you've collected.
PureRef may suit you better if
- You want your references floating on top of your painting or 3D app while you work. PureRef’s always-on-top window is built for that.
- You often work without an internet connection. Grein needs one.
- You’d rather keep everything as files on your own computer.
- You prefer paying once over a plan.
Bring your references. Build on them.
Grein doesn’t open .pur files, so you don't need to migrate everything at once. Start with one active board and see what becomes possible when your references are connected to the rest of your work.
- Pick one active board
- Start with the reference board you open most. Finished scenes can stay in PureRef.
- Gather the images
- Use the folders you originally collected from, or PureRef’s export to save the images to a folder.
- Drop them onto a Grein board
- Drag the whole folder onto the canvas. Paste links from the web and they turn into link cards.
- Arrange and share
- Group your references the way your scene looked, add notes, and share a view link when you want feedback.
Questions, answered.
Yes. The free plan includes unlimited canvas blocks, up to 2 projects, file uploads up to 25 MB, 5-day version history and public sharing. No credit card is needed to start.
If you want more than a desktop reference board, yes. Grein lets you access boards across devices, combine different types of content, share work, collaborate and use optional AI to explore ideas. If you need a window that stays on top of your painting app or you work offline, PureRef does that better.
No. Save the images from your scene to a folder, or use the folders you collected them from, and drag them onto a Grein board.
Grein has optional AI features: an assistant you can ask about a board, and suggestions you can switch on per project. They only run when you use them, and Grein doesn’t use your boards, files or prompts to train AI models. The details are in Grein’s AI terms.
Yes. Share a public view link and clients can open the board without signing in. Invite them as editors or viewers when you want them working inside the project.
Create your first
board.
Start with a question or a few notes. Bring people in when it’s ready.