# Value Study vs Traceelements

The clearest difference is rating: Value Study at 4.8 against Traceelements's 1.0. Value Study also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 1). Traceelements's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Traceelements sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Value Study holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, Traceelements every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Traceelements |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traceelements/id6470747917/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [Carl Stevenson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1352004634) |

## 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) | $14.99 | per year |
| Appreciation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Value Study Pro (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Generous boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| Amazing supporter | $24.99 | one-time |
| Value Study | $29.99 | 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


### Traceelements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traceelements/id6470747917)

Easily convert raster images and logos into scalable vector graphics (SVG). Offers various tracing options for black and white, grayscale, or color images. Export your creations for use in popular vector software.

**Highlights:** Image to SVG conversion, Logo tracing, Line simplification, Straight line detection, Color and grayscale tracing, Curve optimization, SVG export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Export SVG and PNG files | $4.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Traceelements free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Value Study or Traceelements?

Value Study is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Traceelements averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Value Study or Traceelements have ads?

Neither Value Study nor Traceelements shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Traceelements?

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, and Traceelements every 4 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 7, 2026 and Traceelements on October 1, 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.*