Comparison

Chromatic Vision Simulator vs Handy Art Reference Tool

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chromatic Vision Simulator

Simulate various types of color vision deficiencies in real-time using your device's camera or photos. Understand how individuals with protanopia, deuteranopia, or tritanopia perceive the world by visualizing color differences.

Highlights
  • Simulates color vision deficiencies
  • Real-time camera simulation
  • Photo simulation
  • Supports protanope/protanomal
  • Supports deuteranope/deuteranomal
  • Supports tritanope/tritanomal
Features
Read full description

“Chromatic Vision Simulator” is a color vision simulation tool which simulates the color vision of color vision deficiencies. This software is developed by Kazunori Asada (Ph.D. medical science and Ph.D. media design), based on the research in color science. About 5% of men have difficulty distinguishing red and green, or recognizing dark red. Such color deficiency can be classified into three major categories: protanope / Protanomal, Deuteranope / Deuteranomal and Tritanope / Tritanomal. Color deficiencies are the inability to tell differences between some colors other people can easily distinguish. People with different types of color vision deficiency perceive colors differently. For example, individuals diagnosed as Protan or Deutan cannot perceive differences between red and green, and pink and cyan. These color visions are predictable by calculating working of the cone cells that perceives the color to some degree. "Chromatic Vision Simulator" makes simulated images of each color vision type from built-in Camera or Photos and shows you how people with specific types of color vision sees the world in real-time.

About

Handy Art Reference Tool

This app provides artists with rotatable 3D models of hands, heads, and feet for drawing reference. Customize poses and lighting to achieve realistic results for your artwork. Additional packs for animal skulls and foot rigs are available for purchase.

Highlights
  • Rotatable 3D limb models
  • Customizable poses
  • Adjustable 3-point lighting
  • 3D head busts
  • Animal skull reference pack
  • Material editing
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

"Thanks to this useful app, drawing realistic hands can become a whole lot easier" - ImagineFX "Pencillers, inkers, and colorists should all give this a look!" - Tony Moore, co-creator of The Walking Dead If you're an artist and ever wanted just quick and easy drawing reference for hands, heads, or even feet (IAP) without having to awkwardly pose your limbs in front of a mirror, this app is for you! HANDY® is an artist's reference tool, consisting of several rotatable 3D limbs with a variety of poses useful for drawing. You can also customize and edit your own poses for hands, feet, and skulls. Fully adjustable 3-point lighting means you can get easy lighting reference when using any of the 10+ included 3D head busts. Handy if you’re painting and need to know what shadows the head casts from a certain angle! Also available is the Animal Skulls pack. With over 10 different animal species, it's great for anatomical reference or creature design inspiration. [Foot rigs and Animal Skull pack require additional purchase] NEW in Handy v5: Edit the materials of models! Selectively turn off their textures, adjust their specularity, or tint them a certain color. Perfect for comic book artists, painters, or just casual sketchers! Featured in ImagineFX's Top 10 Must-Have Apps! Check out the video demo: https://www.youtube.com/@handyarttool Sign up for the HANDY newsletter for information about new upcoming updates! http://www.handyarttool.com/newsletter Follow HANDY on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/handyarttool.bsky.social

Screenshots

Chromatic Vision Simulator4 screens
Handy Art Reference Tool4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Chromatic Vision Simulator at Free against Handy Art Reference Tool's $1.99. Chromatic Vision Simulator also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Handy Art Reference Tool's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 58). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Chromatic Vision Simulator is free to download; Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99 up front. Handy Art Reference Tool sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Chromatic Vision Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Handy Art Reference Tool holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handy Art Reference Tool has 1.2K ratings behind it against 58, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 85% and 85% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chromatic Vision Simulator ships an update every 11 months, Handy Art Reference Tool every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Chromatic Vision Simulator versus Handy Art Reference Tool: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChromatic Vision SimulatorHandy Art Reference Tool
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.4 (58 ratings)4.8 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.9% of reviews85.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings581.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#187 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB361 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKazunori AsadaBelief Engine

Customer experience

Chromatic Vision Simulator

All ratings58 ratings
Positive84.5%
Neutral5.2%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral5.4%
Negative9.7%

Handy Art Reference Tool

All ratings1,237 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews380 reviews
Positive85.0%
Neutral6.8%
Negative8.2%

Bugs and requests

Chromatic Vision Simulator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Handy Art Reference Tool

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on launch for some users
  • Purchased content not unlocking
  • Positioning and movement issues

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add full body models and poses
  • Include more facial expressions and emotions
  • Allow for custom hand and finger posing
  • Implement ability to save custom poses
  • Add more diverse skin tones and ethnicities
Show 1 more
  • Improve lighting controls and options

In-app purchases

None

Chromatic Vision Simulator

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Handy Art Reference Tool

One-time2
  • Feet Models$1.99
  • Animal Skull Pack$1.99

Questions

Is Chromatic Vision Simulator free?
Chromatic Vision Simulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Handy Art Reference Tool free?
Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chromatic Vision Simulator or Handy Art Reference Tool?
Handy Art Reference Tool is rated higher. Chromatic Vision Simulator averages 4.4 out of 5 from 58 ratings, while Handy Art Reference Tool averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Chromatic Vision Simulator or Handy Art Reference Tool have ads?
Neither Chromatic Vision Simulator nor Handy Art Reference Tool shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chromatic Vision Simulator or Handy Art Reference Tool?
Chromatic Vision Simulator ships an update every 11 months, and Handy Art Reference Tool every 5 months. Most recently, Chromatic Vision Simulator was updated on October 14, 2026 and Handy Art Reference Tool on October 17, 2026.

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