Comparison

Value Study vs Drawing Grid Maker +

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

Drawing Grid Maker +

This app helps artists transfer images to paper using a customizable grid overlay. Break down complex drawings into manageable sections to improve accuracy and sketching skills. Ideal for beginners and hobbyists looking to enhance their drawing process.

Highlights
  • Customizable grid overlay on images
  • Adjustable grid size and divisions
  • Image manipulation under grid
  • Grid line color and transparency adjustment
  • Basic image import
  • Advanced grid styles and aspect ratios (Premium)
  • Background removal (Premium)
Features
Read full description

Drawing Grid Maker Drawing Grid Maker is a simple and practical app that helps you transfer images onto paper using a drawing grid. It is designed for artists, beginners, and hobbyists who want to improve accuracy while sketching or tracing. By overlaying a customizable grid on top of any image, you can break complex drawings into smaller, easier sections and recreate them step by step on your drawing surface. This makes it easier to maintain proportions and improve drawing skills over time. The app focuses on simplicity and usability, without requiring advanced drawing experience. Free Features Add grid overlay on images Adjustable grid size and divisions Move, scale, and position images under grid Change grid line color and transparency Basic image import from gallery Save simple grid setups Premium Features Advanced grid styles and aspect ratios Multiple project management Enhanced image filters for drawing (black & white, line art) Background removal for reference images Perspective / distortion tools for advanced tracing PNG export for high-quality results Ad-free experience Future premium updates Drawing Grid Maker is designed to help you focus on structure and proportions while drawing. It removes complexity so you can concentrate on learning and improving your sketching skills. Whether you're practicing portraits, objects, or perspective drawings, this tool helps you turn any reference image into a clear, structured guide. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Value Study4 screens
Drawing Grid Maker +4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Value Study at none against Drawing Grid Maker +'s shown. Value Study also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (3.3K vs 2). Drawing Grid Maker +'s advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 and Drawing Grid Maker + sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Drawing Grid Maker + 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 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, Drawing Grid Maker + every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Value Study versus Drawing Grid Maker +: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterValue StudyDrawing Grid Maker +
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.3K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3.3K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDiem LimitedErdem Kara

Customer experience

Value Study

All ratings3,304 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews200 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.5%

Drawing Grid Maker +

All ratings2 ratings
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

Drawing Grid Maker +

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)$14.991 Year
One-time5
  • Appreciation$2.99
  • Value Study Pro (Lifetime)$9.99
  • Generous boost$9.99
Show 2 more
  • Amazing supporter$24.99
  • Value Study$29.99
2 purchases

Drawing Grid Maker +

Subscriptions2
  • Premium - Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
  • Premium - Yearly Subscription$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Value Study free?
Value Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Drawing Grid Maker + free?
Drawing Grid Maker + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Value Study or Drawing Grid Maker +?
Drawing Grid Maker + is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Drawing Grid Maker + averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Value Study or Drawing Grid Maker + have ads?
Drawing Grid Maker + shows ads; Value Study does not.
Which is updated more often, Value Study or Drawing Grid Maker +?
Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, and Drawing Grid Maker + every 3 months. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 4, 2026 and Drawing Grid Maker + on October 3, 2026.

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