Comparison

Face Model vs Head Model Studio

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Face Model

This app provides a 3D head posing tool with extensive morphing capabilities for realistic human and creature models. It includes a vast library of facial references categorized by ethnicity and offers tools for camera control, lighting, and saving custom poses.

Highlights
  • Fully morphable 3D head models
  • Realistic male, female, and skull models
  • Extensive human face reference library
  • Pre-made creatures and facial expressions
  • Free camera panning and rotation
  • Save and load custom poses
  • Split view editing
Features
Read full description

The 3D head reference built for artists, not engineers. Shape any face with hundreds of morphs, study a real anatomical skull, and browse hundreds of categorized face photos — all in one app on your iPad. Perfect for portrait artists, manga creators, character designers, animators, comic illustrators, concept artists, and anatomy students. ◆ FULLY CUSTOMIZE 3D HEADS Customize every detail with hundreds of morphs. Adjust head shape, eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and cheeks to create any face you can imagine — from realistic portraits to stylized anime characters. ◆ TRANSFORM HEADS INTO CREATURES Turn a realistic human head into aliens, vampires, zombies, demons, goblins, or animal hybrids with 20 ready-made creature presets. Built for character designers, concept artists, and storytellers. ◆ EXPRESSIVE FACES 17 facial expression morphs bring your characters to life — happiness, anger, surprise, sadness, fear, and more. Mix and match to create unique emotions for illustrations, animation frames, and storyboards. ◆ INTERACTIVE 3D SKULL Study anatomy with a fully interactive 3D skull. Rotate, zoom, and even open and close the jaw to understand the structure beneath the skin — an essential reference for serious portrait artists and anatomy students. ◆ MANGA HEAD MODE Create expressive manga-style characters with a dedicated stylized head mode — designed for manga, anime, and comic creators. ◆ HUMAN FACE REFERENCE LIBRARY Hundreds of high-quality face photos, categorized by ethnicity: Asian, Black, White, Hispanic, South Asian, and MENA (Middle East and North Africa). Build more inclusive and accurate artwork with diverse, authentic references. ◆ SINGLE & MULTI-VIEW PHOTOS Two reference types: single-view photos for head-on study, and multi-view images showing front, side, and three-quarter angles — perfect for understanding face structure from every direction. ◆ SPLIT VIEW EDITING See your model from two camera angles at the same time. Adjust features and expressions with precision, without constantly rotating the scene. ◆ FLEXIBLE LIGHTING Control lighting angle and intensity to shape mood and form — ideal for dramatic portrait references or anatomy studies. ◆ WORKS IN ANY ORIENTATION Use the app vertically or horizontally on iPad — perfect alongside your drawing tablet or sketchbook setup. EVERYTHING YOU GET - Realistic 3D male and female head models - Manga-style head mode - Interactive 3D skull with movable jaw - Hundreds of customizable morphs - 20 pre-made creature presets - 17 facial expression morphs - Face reference library sorted by ethnicity - Single-view and multi-view photo references - Split view dual-camera editing - Freely rotate head and eyes - Save and load custom poses - Capture and save screenshots - Adjustable lighting angle and intensity - Pan, zoom, and rotate with touch controls - Works in portrait and landscape on iPad Whether you're a portrait artist, illustrator, character designer, animator, comic or manga creator, concept artist, or anatomy student — Face Model is built to make your creative process faster, more accurate, and more inspired. Volume discounts available for schools and educational institutions. Download Face Model and bring every face to life. Works on iPhone. Best experienced on iPad.

About

Head Model Studio

This app provides 3D reference models for artists to study and draw faces. It offers detailed control over lighting and rendering to help users understand facial planes and tones, aiding in portrait drawing practice.

Highlights
  • 25 detailed 3D head models
  • Full 3D model control (zoom, tilt, rotate)
  • Realistic environmental and studio lighting
  • Customizable rendering with edge outlines
  • Pre-made practice scenes
  • Study facial planes and geometry
Features
Read full description

Draw better portraits with Head Model Studio. Study faces in detail from simple planes to complex geometry. It is the best iOS / iPadOS application to learn and study faces in detail. Take your sketches to the next level. INSPIRED BY FAMOUS TECHNIQUES Inspired by master methodologies, Head Model Studio comes with 25 different models, including 2 free. From simple to more detailed models, progress easily by understanding the planes of the face. Expand your practice with 5 classical models. COMPLETE CONTROL You have complete control over the 3D models. Zoom, tilt, and rotate to study each part of the model at will. ENVIRONMENTAL & STUDIO LIGHTING Realistic environmental lighting based on HDR photos, recreate a sunrise, midday, or sunset illumination. Switch to Studio Lighting to create amazing lighting composition with multiple spotlights and different colors. Change the lighting to be at any angle or intensity. Perfect to study the planes of the head and understand tones. CUSTOMISABLE RENDERING The edge outline highlights the planes for easier practice. Turn it off once comfortable and practice in a more realistic setting. Modify the shininess for a different material rendering. PRE-MADE PRACTICE Want to learn to draw but unsure where or how to start? We’ve created a bunch of scenes to get you started. PRICING Head Model Studio offers a couple of free models. A premium access is required to access the rest of the models. Lifetime and Yearly (non-recurring) options are available. WE LOVE FEEDBACK I love coding and drawing, feel free to reach out, and tell me what feature you'd love to see in the app. Terms & Conditions: https://headmodelstudio.com/terms-conditions/

Screenshots

Face Model4 screens
Head Model Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Head Model Studio at Free against Face Model's $3.99. Head Model Studio also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 17 months). Face Model's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and chart position (#74 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Head Model Studio is free to download; Face Model costs $3.99 up front. Head Model Studio sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month. Face Model asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Head Model Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Head Model Studio has 2.4K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Face Model's written reviews are positive against 76% of Head Model Studio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Face Model ships an update every 17 months, Head Model Studio monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Face Model versus Head Model Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFace ModelHead Model Studio
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.3 (23 ratings)4.6 (2.4K ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews76.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings232.4K — better
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#74 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS10.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size401 MB2.2 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTomi NevalainenWes Castain

Customer experience

Face Model

All ratings23 ratings
Positive47.8%
Neutral21.7%
Negative30.4%
Written reviews36 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

Head Model Studio

All ratings2,416 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews234 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral9.4%
Negative14.1%

Bugs and requests

Face Model

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Head Model Studio

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Sudden loss of model functionality after updates
  • Overheating issues on some devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add female Loomis head models
  • Expand customization options for paid users
  • Implement full-body reference models
  • Provide option for one-time lifetime purchase

In-app purchases

None

Face Model

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Head Model Studio

Subscriptions2
  • 1 Month Access$9.001 Month
  • 1 Year Access$16.001 Year
One-time2
  • 1 Year Access$23.00
  • Lifetime Access$50.00

Questions

Is Face Model free?
Face Model costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Head Model Studio free?
Head Model Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Face Model or Head Model Studio?
Head Model Studio is rated higher. Face Model averages 3.3 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Head Model Studio averages 4.6 from 2.4K ratings.
Do Face Model or Head Model Studio have ads?
Neither Face Model nor Head Model Studio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Face Model or Head Model Studio?
Face Model ships an update every 17 months, and Head Model Studio monthly. Most recently, Face Model was updated on October 10, 2026 and Head Model Studio on October 12, 2026.

Other comparisons