# Value Study vs Preview mini

The clearest difference is rating: Value Study at 4.8 against Preview mini's 4.3. Value Study also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 63%) and ratings volume (3.3K vs 212). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Preview mini sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Value Study holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 212, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 63% of Preview mini's.

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, Preview mini every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Preview mini |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews)** | [4.3 (212 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview-mini-image-and-pdf-tool/id1593078015/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 212 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 63.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [Marian Koenig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1394020504) |

## What reviewers say

### Value Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Value Study Pro | $3.99 | per year |
| Value Study Pro (yearly) | $6.99 | per year |
| Appreciation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Value Study Pro (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Generous boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Study | $17.99 | one-time |
| Amazing supporter | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Preview mini

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview-mini-image-and-pdf-tool/id1593078015)

Edit and annotate images and PDFs with a desktop-like experience on your iPhone and iPad. Offers advanced features for viewing, converting, and managing files, inspired by macOS.

**Highlights:** Image editing and cropping, PDF annotation and editing, File conversion, Drag and drop support, Keyboard shortcuts, Password protection for PDFs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Preview mini PRO | $4.99 | one-time |
| Fullversion | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful application, replaces MS Paint
- 💡 Video tutorials are helpful
- 🚀 Makes life easier
- 👍 Wonderful and powerful iPad app
- 👍 Great replacement for Preview (almost)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Changes not saved on iPad
- 🐛 Does not export PDF as picture
- 🐛 Difficult to use on iPad
- 🐛 Crashing the app on large PDFs
- 🐛 Only allows acting on one page at a time

**Reported bugs**

- Changes not saved when attaching to email
- App errors out on large PDFs and crashes
- App shuts down during photo editing, unsaved work lost
- Cannot type the letter 'y' in documents
- Payment issues with Apple, requires new credit card data

**Requested features**

- Split-screen or slide-over capability
- Export PDF as picture (JPG, etc.)
- Ability to paste one image on top of another
- Ctrl-Z for quick undo
- Straight line option for markup


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

Value Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Preview mini free?

Preview mini is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Value Study or Preview mini?

Value Study is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Preview mini averages 4.3 from 212 ratings.

### Do Value Study or Preview mini have ads?

Neither Value Study nor Preview mini shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Preview mini?

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, and Preview mini every 10 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 15, 2026 and Preview mini on October 13, 2026.

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