Comparison

Head Model Studio vs HEAVYPAINT

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

HEAVYPAINT

This app offers a raw digital painting experience with unique tools for creating textured art and quick studies. It's designed for artists who embrace digital chaos and seek a streamlined, mobile art studio.

Highlights
  • Unique digital brushes
  • Color Jitter for texture
  • Fast color blocking tools
  • Line Blend for gradients
  • Liquify tool
  • Minimalist interface
  • Gallery for creations
Features
Read full description

Raw digital painting with unique brushes & color chaos. The painter's painting app that celebrates digital chaos. HEAVYPAINT is unapologetically digital and a bit unhinged. It’s a celebration of digital impressionism. Whether you're sketching on the train, painting outdoors, or creating quick color studies, this is your pocket art studio. Unique Digital Tools Color Jitter: Unleash beautiful digital chaos and texture Fan Fill and Lasso Fill for fast color blockins, textured foliage, notan, organic shapes. Rake tool for softening up edges in a graphic way Line Blend for instant gradients
Liquify to adjust proportions and shapes Built for Speed & Mobility Perfect pochade box replacement for pleinair painting. Great for quick paintings on public transit, many will finger paint on their phones. Streamlined interface.Focus on pure color and shape without digital clutter. Streamlined Experience Minimalist interface puts painting first Customizable tools that adapt to your style Strong shape design tools for bold, crisp artwork Gallery to review and organize your creations + Plein air painters who want to ditch heavy supplies + Quick color studies and concept sketches + Figure painting and gesture drawing + Artists wanting to rediscover digital painting joy + Anyone seeking a uniquely digital aesthetic HEAVYPAINT balances professional capabilities with unhinged creativity. Embrace procedural randomness / crunchiness / glitchiness that digital enables. Touch grass. Ideal for pleinair painting and quick studies This app is subject to Apple's standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Head Model Studio4 screens
HEAVYPAINT4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Head Model Studio at 4.6 against HEAVYPAINT's 4.0. Head Model Studio also leads on ratings volume (2.4K vs 66) and review sentiment (76% vs 58%). On price, update cadence, 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 HEAVYPAINT sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Head Model Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Head Model Studio has 2.4K ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Head Model Studio's written reviews are positive against 58% of HEAVYPAINT's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Head Model Studio ships an update monthly, HEAVYPAINT every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Head Model Studio versus HEAVYPAINT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHead Model StudioHEAVYPAINT
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.4K ratings) — better4.0 (66 ratings)
Positive reviews76.5% of reviews — better58.4% of reviews
Number of ratings2.4K — better66
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2.2 GB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWes CastainHEAVYPOLY, Inc.

Customer experience

Head Model Studio

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

HEAVYPAINT

All ratings66 ratings
Positive68.2%
Neutral13.6%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive58.4%
Neutral15.6%
Negative26.0%

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

HEAVYPAINT

From 66 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful brushes and tools
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 💡 Unique and distilled painting experience
  • 👍 Responsive and dedicated developer
  • 👍 Great community support

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes
  • 🐛 Issues with saving and restoring purchases
  • 🐛 Inconsistent UI and missing features

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

HEAVYPAINT

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Gallery crashes
  • Artwork files not saving properly
  • Eyedropper tool not working as expected

Requested features

3 requests
  • Improved layer management
  • More customization options
  • Better color controls and eyedropper tool

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
3 purchases

HEAVYPAINT

Subscriptions2
  • Gallery Sync Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Gallery Sync Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlock Full Version$9.99

Questions

Is Head Model Studio free?
Head Model Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HEAVYPAINT free?
HEAVYPAINT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Head Model Studio or HEAVYPAINT?
Head Model Studio is rated higher. Head Model Studio averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while HEAVYPAINT averages 4.0 from 66 ratings.
Do Head Model Studio or HEAVYPAINT have ads?
Neither Head Model Studio nor HEAVYPAINT shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Head Model Studio or HEAVYPAINT?
Head Model Studio ships an update monthly, and HEAVYPAINT every 6 weeks. Most recently, Head Model Studio was updated on October 18, 2026 and HEAVYPAINT on October 17, 2026.

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