Comparison

Value Study vs GridArt

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

Head to head
About

Value Study

This app helps artists improve their drawing and painting skills by simplifying reference images into greyscale tones. It allows users to break down complex images into distinct value levels, making it easier to understand light, shadow, and form.

Highlights
  • Simplify images into greyscale tones
  • Adjustable number of value levels
  • Highlight areas of the same value
  • Focus on light, shadow, and form
  • Enhance traditional art studies
  • Cross-device compatibility
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/

About

GridArt

This app helps artists accurately sketch or replicate images using the grid drawing technique. It overlays customizable grids on any image, offering features like sketch filters and measurement-based setup to streamline the artistic process.

Highlights
  • Drawing grid overlay on images
  • Diagonal grid option
  • Customizable grid color and opacity
  • Sketch filter for image simplification
  • Measurement-based grid setup
  • Zoom functionality
  • Convert images to black and white
Features
Read full description

With precision and confidence using GridArt – a powerful tool that helps artists accurately sketch or replicate images using the classic grid drawing technique. Whether you're an aspiring artist or a seasoned professional, GridArt streamlines the process of transferring images to your canvas by guiding you square by square. With a range of customization options, GridArt makes it easier than ever to overlay grids, adjust cell sizes, apply sketch filters, and prepare reference images for drawing, painting, or other artistic work. Key Features: * Drawing grid overlay on any image * Diagonal grid option for improved outline accuracy * Multiple grid label styles * Customizable grid color, opacity, and text size * Sketch filter to simplify image details * Measurement-based grid setup (mm, cm, inch) * Zoom functionality for detailed viewing * Adjustable cell and page sizes * Convert images to black and white * Crop images to specific aspect ratios * Enable or disable row-column labels with customizable formatting Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://chief-cheque-627.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-23e6adfdb3748140a9e5f78e9ce25995

Screenshots

Value Study4 screens
GridArt4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Value Study at 92% against GridArt's 33%. Value Study also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year and GridArt sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.4K ratings behind it against 227, 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 33% of GridArt's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, GridArt every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Value Study versus GridArt: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterValue StudyGridArt
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.4K ratings) — better4.5 (227 ratings)
Positive reviews92.0% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings3.4K — better227
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB48 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDiem LimitedVaghani Keyur

Customer experience

Value Study

All ratings3,368 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews201 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.5%

GridArt

All ratings222 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative8.6%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral4.2%
Negative62.5%

Bugs and requests

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

GridArt

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Value Study

Subscriptions2
  • Value Study Pro$7.991 Year
  • Value Study Pro (yearly)$7.991 Year
One-time5
  • Appreciation$2.99
  • Generous boost$9.99
  • Value Study Pro (Lifetime)$17.99
Show 2 more
  • Value Study$17.99
  • Amazing supporter$24.99
2 purchases

GridArt

Subscriptions2
  • GridArt Weekly Premium$3.997 Days
  • GridArt Monthly Premium3 Days trial$12.991 Month

Questions

Is Value Study free?
Value Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GridArt free?
GridArt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Value Study or GridArt?
Value Study is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.4K ratings, while GridArt averages 4.5 from 227 ratings.
Do Value Study or GridArt have ads?
GridArt shows ads; Value Study does not.
Which is updated more often, Value Study or GridArt?
Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, and GridArt every 2 months. Most recently, Value Study was updated on November 3, 2026 and GridArt on November 4, 2026.

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