# RICOH THETA vs The Simple Camera

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RICOH THETA at none against The Simple Camera's 1. RICOH THETA also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 206). The Simple Camera's advantage is review sentiment (55% vs 23%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price and rating there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Simple Camera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RICOH THETA asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for RICOH THETA against 4.5 for The Simple Camera. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RICOH THETA has 1.9K ratings behind it against 206, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 23% of RICOH THETA's written reviews are positive against 55% of The Simple Camera's.

RICOH THETA ships an update every 2 months, The Simple Camera weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RICOH THETA | The Simple Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ricoh-theta/id1023254741/reviews)** | [4.5 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-simple-camera/id1048899002/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 206 |
| Positive reviews | 23.5% of reviews | **55.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 33 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ricoh Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/369115807) | [KANAME OHARA](https://appshunter.io/developer/899986346) |

## What reviewers say

### RICOH THETA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ricoh-theta/id1023254741)

Capture, view, and share immersive 360° photos and videos with a compatible camera. Control your camera remotely, preview shots in live view, and experience your spherical images by spinning, enlarging, or shrinking them. Easily share your creations on social media.

**Highlights:** Remote camera control, Live view preview, 360° image and video viewing, Spherical image sharing, Switch between photo and video modes

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Gold standard in camera companion software
- 👍 Clear layout and professional controls
- 👍 Supports every Ricoh Theta model
- 👍 Frequent updates with no unnecessary features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant error message when trying to link to social media
- 🐛 Crashes on launch, not working with latest iOS
- 🐛 Erratic WiFi connectivity, disconnects frequently
- 🐛 EXIF data lost when saving 360 images

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch after recent updates
- Unable to connect to camera after firmware updates
- Interval shooting not working on iOS
- Incompatible with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to batch select and share images
- Option to store photos within the app without cluttering device gallery
- Offline viewing of 360 photos with 3D effects
- Timer and interval shooting functionality


### The Simple Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-simple-camera/id1048899002)

Capture high-quality photos and videos with a minimalist interface. This app offers intuitive controls, supports multiple camera lenses, and integrates with Apple Watch for quick access.

**Highlights:** High quality photos (48MP), Live photos and videos, Minimal User Interface, Support UltraWide/Wide/Telephoto, Apple Watch support, Lock screen widget launch, Lockable focus and exposure

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full feature option | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface
- 📸 High photo quality
- 🤫 Silent shooting capability
- 🚀 Fast performance
- 💡 Useful features like gridlines and Live Photo

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Ads in free version
- 📉 Quality not as good as native app
- ❓ Inconsistent silent mode functionality
- 😵 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Camera access button not working
- Cannot switch between front and rear cameras
- App freezes or closes unexpectedly
- Photos not saving

**Requested features**

- Add 24MP resolution option
- Improve zoom functionality and buttons
- Option to switch between main, telephoto, and ultra-wide lenses at 48MP
- Add option to always have shutter sound on or off
- Allow saving to custom albums


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RICOH THETA free?

RICOH THETA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Simple Camera free?

The Simple Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, RICOH THETA or The Simple Camera?

RICOH THETA is rated higher. RICOH THETA averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while The Simple Camera averages 4.5 from 206 ratings.

### Do RICOH THETA or The Simple Camera have ads?

The Simple Camera shows ads; RICOH THETA does not.

### Which is updated more often, RICOH THETA or The Simple Camera?

RICOH THETA ships an update every 2 months, and The Simple Camera weekly. Most recently, RICOH THETA was updated on October 29, 2026 and The Simple Camera on October 26, 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.*