# Value Study vs ArtScaler

The clearest difference is price: Value Study at Free against ArtScaler's $2.99. Value Study also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 50%) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.2). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Value Study is free to download; ArtScaler costs $2.99 up front. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year and ArtScaler sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, ArtScaler every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | ArtScaler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 37 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [Steve Mitchell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1889490520) |

## What reviewers say

### Value Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Value Study Pro | $7.99 | per year |
| Value Study Pro (yearly) | $7.99 | per year |
| Appreciation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Generous boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Study Pro (Lifetime) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Value Study | $17.99 | 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


### ArtScaler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artscaler-art-trace-tool/id6761416759)

Transform photos and sketches into printable art templates for tracing and large-scale projects. Easily scale artwork and export multi-page PDFs for accurate transfer to canvas or walls. Designed for artists, students, and teachers seeking a simple, efficient workflow.

**Highlights:** Convert images to printable line templates, Create clean outlines for tracing, Adjust detail, smoothness, and line weight, One-tap Auto Improve, Export multi-page tiled PDF templates, Scale artwork for large projects

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Full Size Prints | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is ArtScaler free?

ArtScaler costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Do Value Study or ArtScaler have ads?

Neither Value Study nor ArtScaler shows ads.

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

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, and ArtScaler every 10 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on November 11, 2026 and ArtScaler on October 31, 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.*