# Value Study vs Color Signs

The clearest difference is price: Value Study at Free against Color Signs's $19.99. Value Study also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 5). Color Signs's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Value Study is free to download; Color Signs costs $19.99 up front. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. Color Signs asks for nothing beyond the download.

Color Signs 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 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 100% of Color Signs's.

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, Color Signs weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Color Signs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-signs/id6788139651/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 35 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [CREIGHTON DANIEL TYNES](https://appshunter.io/developer/6788139653) |

## 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 (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Value Study Pro | $3.99 | per year |
| Value Study Pro (yearly) | $6.99 | per year |
| Appreciation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Value Study Pro (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Generous boost | $9.99 | 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


### Color Signs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-signs/id6788139651)

Explore 944 proven color combinations for signs or create your own with a powerful generator. Customize backgrounds, text treatments, and borders, then save and export your designs as reference cards.

**Highlights:** 944 proven color combinations, Color combination generator, Customizable backgrounds, Text and border treatments, Save and export spec cards, Sample colors from photos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Color Signs free?

Color Signs costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Color Signs is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Color Signs averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

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

Neither Value Study nor Color Signs shows ads.

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

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, and Color Signs weekly. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 20, 2026 and Color Signs on October 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*