# Value Study vs Soft Pastel Color Studio

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Soft Pastel Color Studio at none against Value Study's 7. Soft Pastel Color Studio also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). Value Study's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Value Study sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Soft Pastel Color Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, Soft Pastel Color Studio weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Value Study | Soft Pastel Color Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 37 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Diem Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439019995) | [AROEIRA MB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789374254) |

## What reviewers say

### Value Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127)

This app helps artists improve their drawing and painting skills by simplifying reference images into greyscale tones. It allows users to break down complex images into distinct value levels, making it easier to understand light, shadow, and form.

**Highlights:** Simplify images into greyscale tones, Adjustable number of value levels, Highlight areas of the same value, Focus on light, shadow, and form, Enhance traditional art studies, Cross-device compatibility

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Value Study Pro | $7.99 | per year |
| Value Study Pro (yearly) | $7.99 | per year |
| Appreciation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Generous boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Study Pro (Lifetime) | $17.99 | 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


### Soft Pastel Color Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soft-pastel-color-studio/id6811607311)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Value Study free?

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

### Is Soft Pastel Color Studio free?

Soft Pastel Color Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Value Study or Soft Pastel Color Studio have ads?

Neither Value Study nor Soft Pastel Color Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Value Study or Soft Pastel Color Studio?

Value Study ships an update every 2 weeks, and Soft Pastel Color Studio weekly. Most recently, Value Study was updated on November 7, 2026 and Soft Pastel Color Studio 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.*