Comparison

Value Study vs Blend

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 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
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

Blend

This app helps artists find the perfect colored pencil combinations to match any shade in an image. It analyzes colors and suggests optimal blends using your chosen pencil sets for precise artwork creation.

Highlights
  • Color picker for any pixel
  • Optimal 1-3 pencil blend suggestions
  • Personalized colored pencil set selection
  • High precision color matching
  • User-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

Transform your colored pencil art with Blend, the ultimate tool for artists! Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our app uses cutting-edge algorithms to help you create seamless match any shade with ease and replicate the art of your dreams. Key Features: 1. Color Picker Magic: Tap any pixel in your image, and our app analyzes its color. 2. Optimal Blends: Instantly get the best combination of 1, 2, or 3 colored pencils to replicate your chosen pixel’s hue! 3. Personalized Sets: Select your specific colored pencil set! 4. High Precision: Achieve accurate color matches to elevate your artwork. 5. User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design makes finding your perfect blend as simple as a couple taps. Say goodbye to endless trial and error—Blend brings precision and creativity together, helping you unleash your inner artist with every stroke. Download now and start creating with confidence!

Screenshots

Value Study4 screens
Blend4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Blend at none against Value Study's 7. Blend also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and review sentiment (100% vs 92%). Value Study's advantage is ratings volume (3.3K vs 3). On price, ads 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 $3.99 per year. Blend asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Blend holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 3, 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 100% of Blend's.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Value Study versus Blend: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterValue StudyBlend
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.3K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.3K — better3
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.614.7 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDiem LimitedChirag Shah

Customer experience

Value Study

All ratings3,333 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews200 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.5%

Blend

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Blend

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Value Study

Subscriptions2
  • Value Study Pro$3.991 Year
  • Value Study Pro (yearly)$6.991 Year
One-time5
  • Appreciation$2.99
  • Value Study Pro (Lifetime)$9.99
  • Generous boost$9.99
Show 2 more
  • Value Study$17.99
  • Amazing supporter$24.99
None

Blend

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Value Study free?
Value Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Blend free?
Blend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Value Study or Blend?
Blend is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Blend averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Value Study or Blend have ads?
Neither Value Study nor Blend shows ads.

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