# Value Study vs Photorealism

The clearest difference is ads: Value Study at none against Photorealism's shown. Value Study also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 76). Photorealism's advantage is update cadence (every 4 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 Photorealism sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Value Study against 4.9 for Photorealism. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Value Study has 3.3K ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Value Study's written reviews are positive against 88% of Photorealism's.

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, Photorealism every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Photorealism |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews) | **[4.9 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photorealism-grid-method/id6806555079/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 76 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 88.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 7 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


### Photorealism

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photorealism-grid-method/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 (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Photorealism free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Value Study or Photorealism?

Photorealism is rated higher. Value Study averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Photorealism averages 4.9 from 76 ratings.

### Do Value Study or Photorealism have ads?

Photorealism shows ads; Value Study does not.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Photorealism?

Value Study ships an update fortnightly, and Photorealism every 4 days. Most recently, Value Study was updated on October 17, 2026 and Photorealism on October 18, 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.*