Comparison

Skelly vs Head Study

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

Head to head
About

Skelly

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
Currently charting
Read full description

Hey artists! Tired of scouring the internet for reference material? Does the NSA think you’re a weirdo for looking up all those skeleton pictures? Got no-body to pose for you? Its going tibia ok, the Skelly app is just what you need! With the Skelly app you can literally pull the inspiration you need right out of your pocket anywhere, anytime! Skelly is a fully poseable, anatomically correct reference skeleton for artists. A simplified version of the skeleton is also included, named “Robo-Skelly”. These figures were created to make the study of anatomy easier and more enjoyable for students and professionals without leaving your wallets bone dry. They can also be used to inspire poses for drawing, painting, sculpting, illustration, animation, comics, manga, storyboarding, twerking, and to fully understand the anatomy of the human skeleton. No need for super gluteus, Skelly comes pre-assembled and ready to pose as soon as you launch the app! Learning the structure of the human body is the skeleton key to drawing the figure in an anatomically correct manner without having to clear your browser history to avoid awkward conversations with your loved ones. Whether you want to make works like Michelangelo or Miyazaki, Skelly will help you focus on your art and let you personalize his poses, rather than searching for reference material and hiring models. Learn to draw the skeleton from any angle without the inconvenient and morally questionable need to go grave robbing. FEATURES: Anatomically correct skeleton Simplified “Robo Skelly” Proportions based on the teachings of Dr. Paul Richer Skull fits perfectly into a “Loomis Head” as taught by Andrew Loomis Poseable joints Pose Library - choose from pre made poses and save your own Movable camera Adjustable light source Choose light or dark background Reset to neutral “Anatomical Pose” PEOPLE LOVE IT: James Gurney, author of ‘Color and Light’ and ‘Imaginative Realism’ Says: "Bend him, twist him, contort him! The Skelly app lets you put a virtual human skeleton into any pose, and to see him from any angle, and in any lighting. It’s a great tool for art students or professionals wondering what the skeleton is really doing beneath a life pose, or for anyone wanting to visualize a pose from scratch. The interface is intuitive to learn and easy to use, without sacrificing any of the nuances of the human body’s complex range of movement. Skelly is a big improvement over the old wooden mannikin." - Chris Oatley, Director Of The Oatley Academy Of Visual Storytelling Says: "Skelly is the fastest, most fluid anatomical reference I have ever seen. I was shocked at how easy it is to pose the figure and direct the light source. Finally! It’s the app visual artists have been waiting for." Have any questions? CONTACT US: skelly@proko.com

About

Head Study

This app provides artists with a 3D reference for understanding human anatomy and facial forms. It features simplified planes, a skull model, and adjustable lighting to aid in portraiture studies. Enhance your knowledge of the human form by exploring what lies beneath the surface.

Highlights
  • Simplified planes of the head model
  • Anatomically correct male skull model
  • 360-degree 3D model manipulation
  • Adjustable lighting
  • Switchable anatomical views
  • Informational overlay with structural insights
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Artists have always needed a quick and easy reference to help them understand the anatomy & forms of their portrait models. The Head Study App, is that resource. These portrait models were created to make the study of portraiture easier, but also to enhance your knowledge of the human form. The appearance of the face can be understood best by studying what is underneath the surface. The simplified planar head and the skull in this app are made with the same proportion to make this comparison as clear as possible. FEATURES: + Simplified “planes of the head” model + Anatomically correct male skull model + Tumble and zoom the 3D model from 360 degrees + Adjust the position & strength of multiple lighting situations + Switch between simplified planes, skull, and muscular views + Toggle an informational overlay indicating, key structural features, or anatomical insights + Adjustable background value This app was developed to go along with the lessons on my Patreon page. If you have interest in learning to draw and paint portraits better you can find all of my lessons at: patreon.com/StephenBaumanArtwork Any questions? Contact us at: stephenbaumanartwork@gmail.com

Screenshots

Skelly4 screens
Head Study4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Head Study at 4.8 against Skelly's 3.8. Head Study also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (78% vs 69%). Skelly's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (116 vs 34). On ads, chart position and device support 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

Skelly costs $6.99 and Head Study $7.99 up front. Head Study sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Skelly asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Head Study holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 116 and 34 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Skelly's written reviews are positive against 78% of Head Study's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Skelly ships an update every 8 months, Head Study every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Skelly versus Head Study: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSkellyHead Study
Price$6.99 — better$7.99
Rating3.8 (116 ratings)4.8 (34 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.3% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings116 — better34
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#84 — better#195
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB342 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProkoStephen Bauman Artwork

Customer experience

Skelly

All ratings116 ratings
Positive69.8%
Neutral12.1%
Negative18.1%
Written reviews153 reviews
Positive69.3%
Neutral12.4%
Negative18.3%

Head Study

All ratings34 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral7.4%
Negative14.8%

Bugs and requests

Skelly

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • Save/export image function broken
  • App slows down with 7+ saved poses
  • Lighting quality poor on Retina displays
  • Controls operate in opposite direction of intended movement
  • iPad split-screen multitasking incompatibility

Requested features

26 requests
  • 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
Show 21 more
  • Muscle layer visualization
  • Adjustable limb lengths for different body types
  • Multiple skeleton models at once
  • Photo overlay/underlay for pose matching
  • Customizable field of view (focal length)
  • Preset hand gestures (fist, relaxed, etc.)
  • Inverse kinematics (IK) rigging for limbs
  • Ground plane and perspective plane options
  • Joint locking capability
  • Anatomically-correct range of motion limits
  • Export with transparent background (PNG)
  • White background option
  • Front/side/top/bottom orthographic views
  • Multiple light sources with color control
  • Articulated hand-only or skull-only modes
  • Child, adolescent, and infant skeleton options
  • Background upload capability
  • Animation/keyframe support
  • Improved hip/pelvis posing controls
  • Elbow side-to-side rotation
  • Thoracic spine articulation

Head Study

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Skelly

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Head Study

One-time1
  • Female Planes + Skull$4.99

Questions

Is Skelly free?
Skelly costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Head Study free?
Head Study costs $7.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Skelly or Head Study?
Head Study is rated higher. Skelly averages 3.8 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while Head Study averages 4.8 from 34 ratings.
Do Skelly or Head Study have ads?
Neither Skelly nor Head Study shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Skelly or Head Study?
Skelly ships an update every 8 months, and Head Study every 3 months. Most recently, Skelly was updated on September 25, 2026 and Head Study on September 28, 2026.
Which is more popular, Skelly or Head Study?
Skelly currently peaks at #84 in the App Store charts, and Head Study at #195. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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