# Handy Art Reference Tool vs Skelly

The clearest difference is rating: Handy Art Reference Tool at 4.8 against Skelly's 3.8. Handy Art Reference Tool also leads on price ($1.99 vs $6.99) and review sentiment (85% vs 69%). Skelly's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Handy Art Reference Tool costs $1.99 and Skelly $6.99 up front. Handy Art Reference Tool sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Skelly asks for nothing beyond the download.

Handy Art Reference Tool holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handy Art Reference Tool has 1.2K ratings behind it against 117, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Handy Art Reference Tool's written reviews are positive against 69% of Skelly's.

Handy Art Reference Tool ships an update every 5 months, Skelly every 8 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Handy Art Reference Tool | Skelly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $6.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handy-art-reference-tool/id478643661/reviews)** | [3.8 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skelly-art-model/id976920216/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 117 |
| Positive reviews | **85.0% of reviews** | 69.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#97** | — |
| Size | 361 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Belief Engine](https://appshunter.io/developer/478643664) | [Proko](https://appshunter.io/developer/976907261) |

## What reviewers say

### Handy Art Reference Tool

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

**Currently charting:** #97 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


### Skelly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skelly-art-model/id976920216)

This app provides artists with a fully poseable, anatomically correct skeleton model for reference. Easily create custom poses, adjust lighting, and view from any angle to improve your drawing, sculpting, and illustration skills.

**Highlights:** Anatomically correct skeleton, Poseable joints, Pose library, Movable camera, Adjustable light source, Simplified 'Robo Skelly' model

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use posing controls
- 💡 Excellent reference tool for artists and anatomists
- 🎨 Ability to switch between skeleton and basic shapes
- 💡 Adjustable lighting and viewing angles
- 🌟 High-quality, accurate anatomical model

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Cannot pose individual fingers or toes
- ❌ Cannot articulate the jaw
- ❌ Unrealistic joint rotation limits (360-degree movement)
- ❌ Poor camera controls and navigation
- ❌ Limited field of view options

**Reported bugs**

- Camera controls are unintuitive and frustrating
- Selecting one bone sometimes selects a different bone
- Zoom function accidentally rotates the model
- Hip rotation rotates entire skeleton instead of just hips
- iPad Pro UI elements are too large and obstruct view

**Requested features**

- Posable fingers and toes with individual joint control
- Movable jaw with open/close functionality
- Undo/redo functionality
- Physics toggle to prevent unrealistic poses
- Female skeleton model with different proportions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handy Art Reference Tool free?

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

### Is Skelly free?

Skelly costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Handy Art Reference Tool is rated higher. Handy Art Reference Tool averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Skelly averages 3.8 from 117 ratings.

### Do Handy Art Reference Tool or Skelly have ads?

Neither Handy Art Reference Tool nor Skelly shows ads.

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

Handy Art Reference Tool ships an update every 5 months, and Skelly every 8 months. Most recently, Handy Art Reference Tool was updated on November 6, 2026 and Skelly on November 6, 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.*