# Value Study vs Grid Drawing

The clearest difference is ads: Value Study at none against Grid Drawing's shown. Value Study also leads on ratings volume (3.4K vs 86). Grid Drawing's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Grid Drawing sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Grid Drawing holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.4K ratings behind it against 86, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 90% of Grid Drawing's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, Grid Drawing every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Grid Drawing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews) | **[5.0 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-drawing-photorealism/id6806555079/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.4K** | 86 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 90.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [Dylan Eakin](https://appshunter.io/developer/6806555081) |

## 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


### Grid Drawing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-drawing-photorealism/id6806555079)

This drawing app helps artists create photorealistic artwork by using a custom grid and layer separation on reference images. Track progress, compare your work to the original, and identify errors to improve your drawing accuracy.

**Highlights:** Upload reference images, Apply custom grids, Separate reference into layers, Track drawing progress, Compare drawing to photograph, Mark errors

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Eye II | $0.99 | one-time |
| Texture Practice II | $0.99 | one-time |
| Refraction | $0.99 | one-time |
| Self Portrait 2022 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Moths to a Flame | $0.99 | one-time |
| You Are Not Lost | $0.99 | one-time |
| A Soul to Take | $0.99 | one-time |
| Father | $0.99 | one-time |
| Impact | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Grid Drawing free?

Grid Drawing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Value Study or Grid Drawing?

Grid Drawing is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.4K ratings, while Grid Drawing averages 5.0 from 86 ratings.

### Do Value Study or Grid Drawing have ads?

Grid Drawing shows ads; Value Study does not.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Grid Drawing?

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, and Grid Drawing every 3 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 24, 2026 and Grid Drawing on October 24, 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.*