# Value Study vs Artist Tools

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Value Study at 3.3K against Artist Tools's 2. Value Study also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Artist Tools's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 92%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Artist Tools sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

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 3.3K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 100% of Artist Tools's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Value Study ships an update weekly, Artist Tools every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Artist Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artist-tools/id6756378078/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 91.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 33 MB | 34 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) | [Hessam Emami](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860351783) |

## 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


### Artist Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artist-tools/id6756378078)

This app provides objective tools to analyze reference images for drawing. It helps artists improve tonal accuracy, check proportions, and understand value structures using traditional art school techniques. Features include value studies, color simplification, and various drawing guides.

**Highlights:** Value study analysis, Color simplification, Black mirror tool, Invert and flip reference, Line and plumb line guides, Grid overlay (rule of thirds, golden ratio), Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium - Promo | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription - Promo | $24.99 | per year |
| Unlock Full App | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Artist Tools free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Value Study or Artist Tools?

Value Study is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Artist Tools averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Value Study or Artist Tools have ads?

Neither Value Study nor Artist Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Artist Tools?

Value Study ships an update weekly, and Artist Tools every 11 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on September 23, 2026 and Artist Tools on September 10, 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.*