# Variable Color vs Model Paints

Variable Color and Model Paints both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of Model Paints's written reviews are positive against 0% of Variable Color's. Variable Color's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Model Paints sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. Variable Color asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Variable Color against 4.3 for Model Paints. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 62 and 37 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of Variable Color's written reviews are positive against 81% of Model Paints's.

Variable Color ships an update every 5 weeks, Model Paints every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Variable Color | Model Paints |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/variable-color/id1321076731/reviews)** | [4.3 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-paints/id1460523910/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **62** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **80.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 83 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Variable Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/569541572) | [Valentin Ozerov](https://appshunter.io/developer/953436126) |

## What reviewers say

### Variable Color

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/variable-color/id1321076731)

Easily scan and identify colors from your surroundings. Find matching paints and materials, organize your color discoveries into palettes, and share them with others. Streamline your color selection process for design, DIY, or professional projects.

**Highlights:** Scan and identify colors instantly, Match colors to paint and material libraries, Organize colors into custom palettes, Share color palettes with others, Cross-reference colors between brands, Attach images to palettes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Model Paints

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-paints/id1460523910)

This app provides a comprehensive database of over 20,000 paints from numerous manufacturers, assisting scale model builders. It offers tools for browsing paint charts, matching colors from photos or the camera, and calculating scale conversions. The database is automatically updated with new colors and paint information.

**Highlights:** Extensive paint manufacturer database, Color matching from photos and camera, Scale calculation tools, Paint blending for new colors, Automatic database updates, Search by barcode, Paints lists support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual subscription | $2.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Variable Color free?

Variable Color is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Model Paints free?

Model Paints is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Variable Color or Model Paints?

Variable Color is rated higher. Variable Color averages 4.4 out of 5 from 62 ratings, while Model Paints averages 4.3 from 37 ratings.

### Do Variable Color or Model Paints have ads?

Model Paints shows ads; Variable Color does not.

### Which is updated more often, Variable Color or Model Paints?

Variable Color ships an update every 5 weeks, and Model Paints every 2 months. Most recently, Variable Color was updated on September 17, 2026 and Model Paints on August 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*