Manus vs Head Model Studio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Manus
This app provides a 3D hand reference tool for artists. Easily create and customize an unlimited number of hand poses by rotating, bending, and adjusting fingers. Features male and female models with pre-made poses for quick access.
- 3D male and female hand models
- Customizable finger bending and rotation
- Pre-made hand poses
- Adjustable lighting
- Save and load custom poses
- Export poses as image files
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Need a hand on drawing human hand? This nifty little app is friend of anyone who struggles with drawing hands. With this handy tool you can make unlimited number of hand poses in just seconds. It is a must have hand reference tool for any artist’s. With Manus app you can rotate, bend and set distance of every finger to get that pose you are looking for. With flexible camera controls you can pan and rotate hand model freely to examine pose from any angle. App has male and female hand models and variety of pre-made hand poses to get started with. * 3D Male and female hands * Left and right hand * Pre-made poses * Freely rotate lights * Save and load hand poses * Save poses as image files to gallery * Pan and rotate camera Enjoy and become master of drawing human hands. Zoom camera in/out - Pinch gesture Rotate camera - Two finger drag Pan camera - Three finger drag Supported screen size: 4.7" and larger. iPad preferred. If there is any feature you would like to see in the app, please let us know! Website: http://codelunatics.com Twitter: @Codelunatics
Head Model Studio
Master portrait drawing with detailed 3D head models. Study facial planes and geometry with customizable lighting and rendering options. Perfect for artists looking to elevate their sketching skills.
- Detailed 3D head models
- Plane and geometry study
- Customizable lighting (environmental & studio)
- Adjustable rendering (edge outline, shininess)
- Pre-made practice scenes
- Zoom, tilt, and rotate controls
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Head Model Studio at Free against Manus's $1.99. Head Model Studio also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.9) and update cadence (monthly vs every 31 months). Manus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and chart position (#24 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
Head Model Studio is free to download; Manus costs $1.99 up front. Head Model Studio sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month. Manus asks for nothing beyond the download.
Head Model Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Head Model Studio has 2.5K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Manus's written reviews are positive against 76% of Head Model Studio's.
Manus ships an update every 31 months, Head Model Studio monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Manus | Head Model Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 1.9 (7 ratings) | 4.6 (2.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 76.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 2.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 31 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Best chart rank | #24 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 84 MB | 2.2 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tomi Nevalainen | Wes Castain |
Customer experience
Manus
Head Model Studio
Bugs and requests
Manus
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
Manus
No in-app purchases
Head Model Studio
- 1 Month Access$9.001 Month
- 1 Year Access$16.001 Year
- 1 Year Access$23.00
- Lifetime Access$50.00
Questions
Is Manus free?
Is Head Model Studio free?
Which has better reviews, Manus or Head Model Studio?
Do Manus or Head Model Studio have ads?
Which is updated more often, Manus or Head Model Studio?
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