Ktlyst is a web-based reference canvas for concept artists, illustrators, and visual creators. You gather references on one canvas — drag in images, GIFs, or video frames, or import a whole Pinterest board in one click — and Ktlyst explores new concept directions guided only by the references you chose (a feature called Catalyze). It runs in any modern browser on desktop and tablet, with cloud sync and a free plan.

What is the best PureRef alternative for iPad and tablet?

Ktlyst is a web-based reference board that runs in any browser — including Safari on iPad — with cloud sync so your boards follow you between desktop and tablet automatically. Unlike PureRef, which has no iOS or iPad app, Ktlyst is designed for cross-device creative workflows from the ground up. No installation needed.

Is there a PureRef that works on iPad?

PureRef does not have an official iOS or iPad app. Ktlyst fills that gap: it runs in any browser, syncs your reference boards to the cloud, and works on iPad, tablet, and desktop with the same canvas — so your references are always with you wherever you create.

How does Ktlyst compare to PureRef?

PureRef is a desktop-only overlay tool for keeping reference images visible while you paint or model in other apps. Ktlyst is a cloud-synced, browser-based alternative that adds: iPad and tablet support, Pinterest board import in one click, smart organisation with tagging and collections, freehand sketching overlaid on references, the ability to grab specific frames from videos and GIFs, and a concept-exploration layer (Catalyze) that explores new directions guided by your own references. No installation required — it works in any modern browser.

Do I need to learn prompts or any special tools?

No. You work the way you already do — gather references, sketch, note what you're after. Ktlyst handles the rest behind the scenes, so you stay focused on the vision, not on tooling.

Is this just an image generator?

No. Ktlyst is a reference-driven canvas for clarifying YOUR direction — built around how you already work, collecting references and browsing Pinterest. What it surfaces is an exploration of your own references, for you to take forward.

Can I bring in my Pinterest boards?

Yes. Connect Pinterest and pull an entire board onto a canvas in one move — every pin laid out and ready, instead of saving and re-uploading each one. (Free: 1 board · Pro: unlimited.)

Can I use videos or GIFs as references?

Yes. Drop an MP4, WebM, MOV, M4V, or OGV video — or a GIF — and a frame picker opens so you can scrub through and grab the exact frames you want. Only the frames you pick are saved as reference images; the source video or GIF never leaves your device. (Frame-by-frame GIF picking needs a recent browser; older ones add the first frame instead.)

Can I reuse the same character or element across projects?

Yes. Distil a group of references into one clean, typed element (a character, a costume, a prop), then save it to your Elements library. Drag it onto any canvas to reuse it, merge it with other elements, or paint it into a composition sketch — build it once, use it everywhere.

Can I correct a generated image?

Yes, with Redline (a Pro feature): draw your corrections in red straight on the image — arrows, circles, and handwritten notes — and Ktlyst applies them beside the original, non-destructively, so your original stays put.

Who owns what I create?

Ktlyst claims no ownership over your canvases or the directions you explore — they're yours to take forward into your own work. You're responsible for clearing any rights you need before using output commercially. (How copyright applies to generated images varies by country, so we don't make legal guarantees about that.)

Do you use my images or art to train AI?

No. Ktlyst never uses your uploads, canvases, or prompts to train AI models, and never sells them. Your references and prompts are sent to our AI providers only to generate or analyse images at your request. OpenAI does not use data submitted through its API to train its models; fal.ai processes your content under its own terms to run the generation.

Does it work on tablet?

Yes. Your canvas is cloud-synced, so you can collect on desktop and refine on tablet — or anywhere you work.

What devices and browsers does Ktlyst support?

Editing works on tablets and desktops (iPad, Windows, Mac) in recent versions of Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox. Phones get a view-only experience. Ktlyst runs in the browser and needs an internet connection.

Is there a free plan?

Yes — the free plan gives you 5 canvases (each with as many references as you like) and 15 Catalyze runs a month. No credit card required.

June 18, 2026

Ktlyst vs PureRef: An Honest Comparison for Artists (2026)

PureRef alternativereference board appKtlyst features

Ktlyst vs PureRef: An Honest Comparison for Artists (2026)

PureRef is one of the most loved tools in the concept art world — and it earned that. This is an honest comparison from the team behind Ktlyst: where PureRef is still the better choice, where it stops, and what Ktlyst does differently. No winner-takes-all scorecard.

TL;DR — If you work offline, on one desktop machine, and all you need is a fast board of images floating over your painting app: keep PureRef. It's excellent and it's free. If your references need to follow you between a desktop and an iPad, live partly on Pinterest, or you want to sketch and think on top of them: that's the gap Ktlyst was built for.

What PureRef does brilliantly

Any comparison that skips this section is marketing. PureRef's strengths are real:

Free (pay-what-you-want). Hard to argue with.
Works fully offline. No account, no server, no internet required — your references are just a file on your machine.
Extremely lightweight. Opens instantly, handles huge boards, never gets between you and your painting app.
Always-on-top overlay that artists have built muscle memory around for a decade.
Private by default. Nothing ever leaves your computer.

If that list covers your workflow, you can stop reading here — PureRef remains the right tool, and we mean that.

Where PureRef stops

PureRef is a desktop application, and that's also its boundary:

No iPad or tablet app. In 2026 it still runs only on desktop — your board can't follow you to the sofa, the train, or a client meeting.
Files live on one machine. Moving between computers means exporting and re-opening files yourself.
Pinterest is a separate world. If you curate on Pinterest (most of us do), getting a board into PureRef means saving and re-importing images one by one.
References stay static. PureRef collects and arranges — deciding where the direction is heading still happens somewhere else.

None of these are flaws — they're outside what PureRef set out to do. They're just the reasons people search "PureRef for iPad".

What Ktlyst does differently

Ktlyst is a reference board that lives in the browser, built around the parts of the workflow PureRef leaves out:

Any device, no installation. The same canvas opens on desktop, iPad, and tablet. Start arranging on your workstation, keep going on the iPad — boards sync automatically.
Pinterest boards, imported in one click. Connect your account and pull an entire board onto the canvas, every pin laid out and ready.
Frames from video and GIFs. Scrub a video, grab the exact frames you want as references.
Sketch and note directly on the board. Rough out composition ideas and pin notes where they belong — the board becomes a thinking surface, not just storage.
A floating reference window, so your references can sit beside Photoshop, Blender, or Procreate while you work.
Collections and tags for large libraries, and share links so a client or teammate can view a board without installing anything.

About Catalyze (and yes, it uses AI)

Ktlyst also has an optional feature called Catalyze: select a few references and it proposes a new visual direction guided by what you collected — something to react to when the picture in your head is still blurry. Two things we want to be upfront about, because our users are artists:

It uses generative AI. We don't hide that. It's an optional tool off to the side — you can use Ktlyst as a pure reference board and never touch it.
You stay the artist. Catalyze suggests directions from your board; deciding, drawing, and making the actual work is yours. It produces exploration material, not finished artwork.

Honest comparison table

	Ktlyst	PureRef
Price	Free plan · Pro $9/mo	Free (pay-what-you-want)
Works offline	✕ (browser, needs internet)	✓
iPad / tablet	✓	✕
Cloud sync across devices	✓	✕
Installation required	✕ (runs in browser)	✓ (desktop app)
Always-on-top reference window	✓ (floating window)	✓
Pinterest board import	✓ (one click)	✕ (manual)
Grab frames from video / GIF	✓	✕
Sketch & notes on the board	✓	✕
Optional direction exploration (AI)	✓	✕
Share a view-only board link	✓	✕
Account required	✓	✕

Which one is right for you?

Stick with PureRef if…

You work on one desktop machine and don't need your board anywhere else
Offline use or keeping files 100% local matters to you
You want zero cost, zero accounts, zero services

Try Ktlyst if…

You want your reference board on an iPad or across several devices
Your references start on Pinterest
You want to sketch, annotate, and explore directions on the same canvas where you collect
You share boards with clients or teammates

Many artists use both: PureRef as the local overlay they've always loved, Ktlyst as the cloud canvas where boards get gathered, shaped, and shared. There's no workflow to abandon — Ktlyst picks up where PureRef leaves off.

See it for yourself

Here's a real Ktlyst board you can open right now, no account needed: View a live example board

Ready to try it with your own references? Start free — no credit card · Free plan includes 5 canvases and Pinterest import.

FAQ

How does Ktlyst differ from PureRef? PureRef is a free, offline desktop overlay for viewing reference images. Ktlyst is a cloud-synced, browser-based reference canvas that adds iPad/tablet support, one-click Pinterest board import, video frame grabbing, sketching and notes on the board, and an optional AI-assisted direction-exploration tool (Catalyze). PureRef is better for fully offline, single-machine work; Ktlyst is better when references need to move across devices.

Is Ktlyst suitable for use on an iPad? Yes. Ktlyst runs in the browser — including Safari on iPad — with the same canvas as desktop, synced automatically. PureRef has no official iPad app.

Is PureRef still worth using in 2026? Absolutely. For offline, single-desktop reference viewing it remains one of the best tools available, and it's free. This article exists for artists who've hit its device boundaries.

What is the Catalyze feature — and does it use AI? Catalyze proposes new visual directions guided by references you've gathered, for you to react to and refine. Yes, it uses generative AI, and it's entirely optional — Ktlyst works as a pure reference board without it. What it produces is exploration material; the artwork is yours to make.

Does Ktlyst require installation? No. It runs in any modern browser on desktop and tablets. An internet connection is required — if you need a fully offline tool, PureRef is the better fit.

Can I import my Pinterest boards? Yes — connect Pinterest and pull a whole board onto a canvas in one move (Free: 1 board · Pro: unlimited).