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PureRef vs Roll20

Professional comparison and analysis to help you choose the right software solution for your needs.

PureRef icon
PureRef
Roll20 icon
Roll20

PureRef vs Roll20: The Verdict

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature PureRef Roll20
Sugggest Score — —
Category Photos & Graphics Games
Pricing Free —

Product Overview

PureRef
PureRef

Description: PureRef is a free, lightweight application for Windows that helps artists and designers quickly view visual references without cluttering their workspace. It's useful for keeping photos, drawings, webpages, etc. easily accessible while working on graphics, illustrations, presentations, documents, and more.

Type: software

Pricing: Free

Roll20
Roll20

Description: Roll20 is a popular virtual tabletop platform for playing tabletop roleplaying games online. It provides digital character sheets, dice rolling, maps, tokens, and tools to run RPGs virtually with friends across the internet.

Type: software

Key Features Comparison

PureRef
PureRef Features
  • Tabbed interface to organize references
  • Resizable panels
  • Zoom and pan images
  • Minimal UI
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Search references
  • Fullscreen mode
  • Portable app
  • Dark mode
Roll20
Roll20 Features
  • Virtual dice rolling
  • Digital character sheets
  • Shared maps and tokens
  • Text/voice chat
  • Fog of war
  • Customizable macros
  • Integrations with D&D Beyond and other services

Pros & Cons Analysis

PureRef
PureRef
Pros
  • Lightweight and fast
  • Clean and simple interface
  • Easy to use
  • Good for quick reference viewing
  • Free with no ads or limitations
Cons
  • Limited features compared to full reference managers
  • No cloud sync
  • Windows only
Roll20
Roll20
Pros
  • Easy to use interface
  • Works on any device with a browser
  • Large library of free assets
  • Active community support
  • Allows playing tabletop RPGs remotely
Cons
  • Can be laggy with large maps/lots of tokens
  • Voice chat quality not as good as Discord
  • Subscription required for some features
  • Set-up can be time consuming

Pricing Comparison

PureRef
PureRef
  • Free
Roll20
Roll20
  • Not listed

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Learn More About Each Product

PureRef
PureRef
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →
Roll20
Roll20
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →

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