Comparison

Value Study vs Cranio Head Study

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

Cranio Head Study

Features
Read full description

Cranio Head Study is a focused reference tool for artists who want to master the planes of the head. Rotate, pose and light a precise 3D head and body reference, then draw from it at any angle. No clutter, no noise — just the head, the light, and your practice. FEATURES • Full 360° rotation and free orbit around the head • Multiple head models and surface finishes • A full lighting rig with up to five lights for dramatic studies • Plane-shaded and smooth modes to understand structure • Clean, distraction-free interface built for long drawing sessions • Export reference frames in high resolution PRO Unlock all head models, every finish, the full five-light rig, and 4K export with no watermark. Available as a monthly or annual subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Perfect for figure-drawing students, portrait artists, animators and anyone learning to see the head as simple planes and forms. Privacy : https://asarolabs.com/privacy Terms : https://asarolabs.com/terms

Screenshots

Value Study4 screens
Cranio Head Study4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Value Study at 16.6 against Cranio Head Study's 18.2. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Cranio Head Study sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Value Study ships an update weekly, Cranio Head Study every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Value Study versus Cranio Head Study: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterValue StudyCranio Head Study
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.3K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews91.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings3.3K — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB159 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDiem LimitedAvinash Kumawat

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

Cranio Head Study

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Value Study

Subscriptions1
  • Value Study Pro$3.991 Year
One-time4
  • Appreciation$2.99
  • Value Study Pro (Lifetime)$9.99
  • Generous boost$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Amazing supporter$24.99
5 purchases

Cranio Head Study

Subscriptions4
  • Pro Annual$2.991 Year
  • Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Pro · Monthly$4.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Pro · Annual$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro · Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Value Study free?
Value Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cranio Head Study free?
Cranio Head Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Value Study or Cranio Head Study have ads?
Neither Value Study nor Cranio Head Study shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Value Study or Cranio Head Study?
Value Study ships an update weekly, and Cranio Head Study every 9 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on September 23, 2026 and Cranio Head Study on September 9, 2026.

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