# Studio vs Zone System

The clearest difference is price: Zone System at $1.99 against Studio's $12.99. Zone System also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Studio costs $12.99 and Zone System $1.99 up front. Studio sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Zone System asks for nothing beyond the download.

Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, Zone System every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on May 16, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Studio | Zone System |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zone-system/id6741873549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#192** |
| Size | 1 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexandru Sofonea](https://appshunter.io/developer/1603113349) | [Davin Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1680398335) |

## What reviewers say

### Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studio-set-designer-and-planner/id6504857279)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Studio: Set Designer & Planner | $19.99 | one-time |


### Zone System

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zone-system/id6741873549)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This tool simplifies Ansel Adams' exposure and development method for photographers. It helps measure shadows and highlights, calculate aperture and development times, and preview results with film stock presets.

**Highlights:** Measure shadows and highlights, Aperture and development calculations, Preview results with film presets, ISO and EV calculations, Simplified Zone System application

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Studio free?

Studio costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Zone System free?

Zone System costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Studio or Zone System have ads?

Neither Studio nor Zone System shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Studio or Zone System?

Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, and Zone System every 9 days. Most recently, Studio was updated on May 16, 2026 and Zone System on September 13, 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.*