Pochade is a document-based reference preparation tool for painters. You build a library of sessions — each one tied to a reference photo — and use the editor to study tonal structure, frame your composition, and plan your grid before you paint.
Importing your own reference photos requires Pochade Pro. After purchasing Pro, tap New in the library and select a photo. Without Pro, you can only work with the built-in sample images.
Pochade is an iPad-only app and requires iOS 26 or later.
The free version lets you use all of Pochade's tools — Values, Grayscale, Crop, and Grid — but only with the built-in sample images. You cannot import your own photos without Pro.
Pochade Pro gives you unlimited access to import your own reference photos from your photo library. It is a one-time purchase of $9.99 with no subscription. Once purchased, the unlock is permanent and includes all future updates at no additional cost.
Open Pochade on your new device, go to Settings, and tap Restore Purchases. Make sure you are signed in to the same Apple Account used for the original purchase.
Pochade is entirely local. Your reference photos and session data stay on your device and are never uploaded to any server. There is no cloud sync or export feature. Keep your own backups of important reference materials.
Pochade uses TelemetryDeck for anonymous, aggregated usage analytics and Sentry for crash reporting. Neither service collects personal data, and neither we nor the services can identify individual users. See the Privacy Policy for full details.
The Values tool simplifies your reference photo's tonal structure into stepped luminance buckets. You control the number of steps (2–9) and the simplify strength (0–100%). A histogram and bucket mask overlay help you see exactly where each value range falls in your image.
The Crop tool lets you frame your reference non-destructively using standard aspect ratios: Original, 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, and 5:4. The source image is never modified — the crop only affects what you see and analyze in the editor.
The Grid tool overlays a customizable planning grid on your reference. You can set columns and rows independently (2–12 each), choose a line color (white, black, red, or yellow), and adjust line thickness (thin, medium, or thick).
Zen Mode hides all controls and UI chrome so you can study your reference without distraction. Use a two-finger tap on the canvas to toggle it on and off. While in Zen Mode, a single tap brings back a temporary exit hint and the quick-toggle pills for Grayscale, Grid, and Values.
If you have a question not answered here, or you've found a bug, please email us at eliot@eliotfowler.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
You can also find Pochade on the App Store.