Simple HDR vs the VFX screen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Simple HDR
Capture bracketed 360° images with this app, designed for Ricoh Theta cameras. Choose between Auto and Pro settings for quick HDR landscape creation or light and reflection map generation.
- Capture bracketed 360° images
- Create 360° landscapes
- Generate light maps
- Generate reflection maps
- Auto capture setting (3 shots, 5 stops)
- Pro capture setting (7 shots, 12 stops)
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NOTE: A Ricoh Theta camera is required to use Simple HDR. We support the Ricoh Theta m15 and Ricoh Theta S models. Simple HDR is the easy way to quickly capture a full set of bracketed 360° images. You can use these images to create beautiful 360° landscapes, or to capture light maps or reflection maps for use in visual effects or video games. Unlike other HDR apps, we remove the complexity from this process and give you just two great options to choose from. We did our research, took hundreds of test images, and found the options that let you get the most out of the Ricoh Theta’s capabilities. Choose our Auto setting to quickly capture three 360° images, covering a range of 5 stops in just 15 seconds. This should be enough light data to capture most indoor or mixed lighting scenes. Or you can choose our Pro setting to take up to 7 shots, covering a range of 12 stops. This setting is ideal for outdoor scenes in bright daylight. When you’re done shooting, you can use Photoshop or your favorite HDR tool to create beautiful landscapes, lighting maps, or reflection maps. Make 360° HDR images quickly and easily with Simple HDR.
the VFX screen
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the VFX Screen is the ultimate tool for on-set VFX supervisors, to simplify the process of shooting screen inserts for visual effects. With a range of options from tracking points to background colors and patterns, this app makes it easier to capture plates for VFX screen replacements.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: the VFX screen at Free against Simple HDR's $9.99. Simple HDR's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases 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
the VFX screen is free to download; Simple HDR costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Simple HDR ships an update every 2 months, the VFX screen every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simple HDR | the VFX screen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.7 (7 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | #192 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Built Light | Jonas Kluger |
In-app purchases
Simple HDR
No in-app purchases
the VFX screen
No in-app purchases
