Comparison

Head Model Studio vs Value Study

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

Head to head
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/

About

Value Study

This app helps artists improve their skills by analyzing light and shadow in reference images. It allows users to break down tones step-by-step, from simple black and white to more complex value ranges, aiding in the understanding of depth and form. It's a tool to enhance traditional art studies.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step tone breakdown
  • Highlighting areas of same value
  • Focus on light, shadow, and form
  • Greyscale value studies
  • Works with reference images
Features
Read full description

In art, value (or tone) refers to how light or dark a colour is. If you're learning to paint or draw, doing value studies is one of the best ways to improve. These small, loose sketches in greyscale help you understand where shadows fall and highlights appear—essential for capturing depth and form. Value Study is a simple, focused tool designed to help you see values more clearly in your reference images. Instead of just converting a photo to black and white, this app lets you break down tones step by step. Start with just black and white to map out the biggest shapes, then gradually add more values to refine your understanding. You can also highlight all areas of an image that share the same value, making it easier to see subtle shifts in tone. This is especially useful in complex references, like portraits, where different parts of the image might have the same level of shadow but look completely different in colour. Value Study isn’t here to replace traditional studies—it’s here to enhance them. Whether you're sketching, painting, or working digitally, this tool makes it easier to focus on the fundamentals of light, shadow, and form. Try it for free with all features enabled on sample images from Unsplash before deciding to unlock the full app with a low-cost yearly or lifetime purchase. All Value Study Pro upgrades count as lifetime purchase. Either option will unlock Value Study across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Annual: Auto-renews yearly. Lifetime: One-time payment, no fees. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Head Model Studio4 screens
Value Study4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Value Study at weekly against Head Model Studio's monthly. Value Study also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 77%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Head Model Studio sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month and Value Study sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Value Study holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.4K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Head Model Studio's written reviews are positive against 92% of Value Study's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Head Model Studio ships an update monthly, Value Study weekly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Head Model Studio versus Value Study: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHead Model StudioValue Study
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.4K ratings)4.8 (3.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.7% of reviews91.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.4K3.3K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size2.2 GB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWes CastainDiem Limited

Customer experience

Head Model Studio

All ratings2,416 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews232 reviews
Positive76.7%
Neutral9.1%
Negative14.2%

Value Study

All ratings3,268 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews198 reviews
Positive91.9%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.6%

User reviews

Head Model Studio

From 2.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Excellent reference tool for artists
  • 🔍 Helpful for understanding head anatomy and planes
  • 🔧 Customizable lighting and model features
  • 💰 Reasonable subscription pricing

Room to improve

  • 💰 Premium features locked behind paywall
  • 🔒 Lack of free trial to test premium content
  • 🔧 Limited customization options for free users
  • 🐛 Occasional technical issues with lighting and model adjustments

Value Study

From 3.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Helpful for value studies
  • 💡 Allows adjusting number of values
  • 🎨 Useful for artists and painters
  • ⭐ Great tool for beginners

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Issues with accurately representing blue hues
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding/importing photos
  • 🤔 Unclear instructions/lack of tutorial

Bugs and 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

Value Study

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crashes or fails to launch on some devices
  • Occasional issues with image processing

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to adjust value midpoint
  • Include color study/color adjustment options
  • Provide side-by-side comparison of original and simplified images
  • Add customizable grid overlay

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
5 purchases

Value Study

Subscriptions1
  • Value Study Pro$3.991 Year
One-time4
  • Appreciation$2.99
  • Value Study Pro (Lifetime)$9.99
  • Generous boost$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Amazing supporter$24.99

Questions

Is Head Model Studio free?
Head Model Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Value Study free?
Value Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Head Model Studio or Value Study?
Value Study is rated higher. Head Model Studio averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while Value Study averages 4.8 from 3.3K ratings.
Do Head Model Studio or Value Study have ads?
Neither Head Model Studio nor Value Study shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Head Model Studio or Value Study?
Head Model Studio ships an update monthly, and Value Study weekly. Most recently, Head Model Studio was updated on September 23, 2026 and Value Study on September 23, 2026.

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