# Value Study vs Mana Palette

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mana Palette at none against Value Study's 7. Mana Palette also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. Mana Palette asks for nothing beyond the download.

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, Mana Palette daily. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Mana Palette |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 35 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [Markus Wenzel](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789676744) |

## 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


### Mana Palette

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mana-palette/id6789676742)

**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 Mana Palette free?

Mana Palette is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Value Study or Mana Palette have ads?

Neither Value Study nor Mana Palette shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Mana Palette?

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, and Mana Palette daily. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 20, 2026 and Mana Palette on October 17, 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.*