# Value Study vs Color Study

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Value Study at 3.3K against Color Study's 352. Color Study's advantage is chart position (#126 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Color Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Value Study against 4.9 for Color Study. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 352, 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 89% of Color Study's.

Value Study ships an update weekly, Color Study every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Color Study |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews) | **[4.9 (352 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-study-simplify-painting/id6755313672/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 352 |
| Positive reviews | **91.9% of reviews** | 88.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#126** |
| Size | 33 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [BrushLabs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873618742) |

## 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


### Color Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-study-simplify-painting/id6755313672)

**Currently charting:** #126 Top Grossing · Graphics & Design, #160 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app helps artists simplify images into essential shapes and colors for study. It provides tools for accurate color matching, paint mixing guidance, and detailed analysis of value, saturation, and color codes. Advanced features for deeper analysis and paint mixing are available via subscription.

**Highlights:** Image simplification to shapes and colors, Accurate color picker with pixel averaging, Paint mixing guidance, Value, saturation, and color code inspection, Interactive analysis maps, Customizable grid overlay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Color Study Pro monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Color Study Pro monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Color Study Pro yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Color Study Pro Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Color Study tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Color Study tip | $19.99 | one-time |
| Color Study tip | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Color Study free?

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

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

Color Study is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Color Study averages 4.9 from 352 ratings.

### Do Value Study or Color Study have ads?

Neither Value Study nor Color Study shows ads.

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

Value Study ships an update weekly, and Color Study every 11 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on September 23, 2026 and Color Study on September 21, 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.*