# Value Study vs ChromaMagic

The clearest difference is price: Value Study at Free against ChromaMagic's $19.99. Value Study also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (3.3K vs 52). ChromaMagic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Value Study is free to download; ChromaMagic costs $19.99 up front. Value Study sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. ChromaMagic asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Value Study against 4.8 for ChromaMagic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 91% of ChromaMagic's.

Value Study ships an update weekly, ChromaMagic every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | ChromaMagic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews) | [4.8 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromamagic/id6479220262/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 52 |
| Positive reviews | **91.9% of reviews** | 90.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#7** |
| Size | 33 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [Michele Clamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1697771835) |

## 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 (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Value Study Pro | $3.99 | 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 |

**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


### ChromaMagic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromamagic/id6479220262)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app helps artists identify and understand colors in reference images. It breaks down colors into hue, value, and chroma, offering multiple modes to analyze color relationships and value shapes. Enhance your painting by truly seeing and mixing colors accurately.

**Highlights:** Identify hue, value, and chroma, Munsell color mode, Value shape organization, Grayscale value analysis, Color saturation analysis, Color wheel distribution view, Zoomable and pannable images

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is ChromaMagic free?

ChromaMagic costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Value Study and ChromaMagic are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3.3K and 52 ratings respectively.

### Do Value Study or ChromaMagic have ads?

Neither Value Study nor ChromaMagic shows ads.

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

Value Study ships an update weekly, and ChromaMagic every 7 months. Most recently, Value Study was updated on September 23, 2026 and ChromaMagic on September 22, 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.*