# Handy Art Reference Tool vs Creature Art Teacher

The clearest difference is price: Creature Art Teacher at Free against Handy Art Reference Tool's $1.99. Creature Art Teacher also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months). Handy Art Reference Tool's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 56) and chart position (#123 vs unranked). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Creature Art Teacher is free to download; Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99 up front. Handy Art Reference Tool sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Creature Art Teacher sells 36 one-off in-app purchases. 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 Handy Art Reference Tool against 4.7 for Creature Art Teacher. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handy Art Reference Tool has 1.2K ratings behind it against 56, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Handy Art Reference Tool's written reviews are positive against 76% of Creature Art Teacher's.

Handy Art Reference Tool ships an update every 5 months, Creature Art Teacher every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Handy Art Reference Tool | Creature Art Teacher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-art-reference-tool/id478643661/reviews)** | [4.7 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/creature-art-teacher/id1477649110/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 56 |
| Positive reviews | **85.0% of reviews** | 76.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#123** | — |
| Size | 361 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Belief Engine](https://appshunter.io/developer/478643664) | [Nicholas Burch](https://appshunter.io/developer/504390680) |

## What reviewers say

### Handy Art Reference Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-art-reference-tool/id478643661)

**Currently charting:** #123 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feet Models | $1.99 | one-time |
| Animal Skull Pack | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for drawing reference
- 🔍 Useful for lighting and shading
- 🎨 Great for hands and heads
- 💡 Customizable lighting and poses
- 🎨 Diverse skin tone options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on some devices
- 💰 In-app purchases for additional content
- 🤔 Limited model variety (no full bodies)
- 🤔 Difficulty with precise positioning
- 🤔 Lighting controls could be improved

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Creature Art Teacher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/creature-art-teacher/id1477649110)

Access over 800 hours of art and animation training from industry professionals. Learn animation, character design, digital illustration, and more. Download lessons for offline viewing on your devices.

**Highlights:** Over 800 hours of art and animation lessons, Offline viewing and downloads, Resume playback, Picture-in-Picture mode, Dark Mode support, Live stream support

**In-app purchases (36)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How to Draw Bears | $1.00 | one-time |
| Gesture Drawing Course | $1.00 | one-time |
| Perspective Drawing Course | $1.00 | one-time |
| Charcoal Drawing Course | $1.00 | one-time |
| Dynamic Lighting & The Figure | $1.00 | one-time |
| Character Design Course | $5.00 | one-time |
| Draw Wolves, Coyotes & Foxes | $5.00 | one-time |
| Creating in Procreate | $5.00 | one-time |
| How to Paint Light | $5.00 | one-time |
| Digital Painting in Photoshop | $5.00 | one-time |
| Advanced Animation Course | $5.00 | one-time |
| Pen & Ink Drawing Tutorial | $5.00 | one-time |
| How to Pitch Your Ideas! | $5.00 | one-time |
| Let's Draw: Drawing Basics | $5.00 | one-time |
| Creature Design Course | $5.00 | one-time |
| How to Animate a 4 Leg Walk | $10.00 | one-time |
| Complete Animation Course | $10.00 | one-time |
| Watercolor Painting Course | $10.00 | one-time |
| 4 Leg Animation Bundle | $10.00 | one-time |
| Storyboarding Course | $10.00 | one-time |
| Sculpting in ZBrush | $10.00 | one-time |
| How to Draw Horses Course | $15.00 | one-time |
| Animation on Paper Course | $15.00 | one-time |
| Animate in Procreate Dreams | $18.00 | one-time |
| Drawing Clear Expressions | $20.00 | one-time |
| 1 Page Screenplay Brad Raymond | $24.00 | one-time |
| 2DFX Animation Course | $25.00 | one-time |
| The Art of the Storyboard | $25.00 | one-time |
| Taking Control of Color! | $25.00 | one-time |
| Animal Character Design Course | $28.00 | one-time |
| How to Draw Human Anatomy | $30.00 | one-time |
| How to Draw Birds of Prey | $35.00 | one-time |
| Fundamentals of Animation | $39.00 | one-time |
| How to Draw Big Cats | $45.00 | one-time |
| Acting for Animation Course | $55.00 | one-time |
| Animal Drawing Bundle | $75.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handy Art Reference Tool free?

Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Creature Art Teacher free?

Creature Art Teacher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Handy Art Reference Tool or Creature Art Teacher?

Handy Art Reference Tool is rated higher. Handy Art Reference Tool averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Creature Art Teacher averages 4.7 from 56 ratings.

### Do Handy Art Reference Tool or Creature Art Teacher have ads?

Neither Handy Art Reference Tool nor Creature Art Teacher shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Handy Art Reference Tool or Creature Art Teacher?

Handy Art Reference Tool ships an update every 5 months, and Creature Art Teacher every 6 weeks. Most recently, Handy Art Reference Tool was updated on November 1, 2026 and Creature Art Teacher on October 31, 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.*