Comparison

Desqueeze vs TakeStage

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

Head to head
About

Desqueeze

Easily resize, de-squeeze, and upscale your photos and videos in batches. Apply over 100 templates for social media or custom sizes up to 18,000px for photos and 8K for videos. Optimize format, file size, and color while preserving quality and metadata.

Highlights
  • Batch resizing for photos and videos
  • De-squeeze anamorphic content
  • Upscale to high resolutions (18,000px photos, 8K videos)
  • 100+ social media and custom templates
  • Format and color profile optimization
  • Live Photo support
Features
Read full description

Resize, de-squeeze, and upscale your photos and videos — with batch processing, HDR, and Live Photo support. Apply 100+ templates for quick social media, optimization, and anamorphic results. Enter exact sizes up to 18,000 × 12,000 px for photos and 8K for videos for your custom results. Optimize format, file size, and color profile — while preserving high quality and metadata. DESQUEEZE FEATURES: Resize Photos and Videos • Enter a new size in pixels, aspect ratios, and percentages • Resize in three different ways: Stretch, Fill, and Fit • Choose between Normal and Smart size for more flexible resizing • Batch resize an unlimited number of photos and videos • Reuse up to 10 recent resizing tasks with one tap • De-squeeze anamorphic photos to achieve a natural look • Resize Live Photos while preserving their format, or convert them to still images Import Sources inside Desqueeze • Select photos and videos from the Photo Library • Select any full album from the Photo Library • Select multiple photos and videos from the Files app • Take a picture with the camera Reformat Photos • Choose between PNG, JPEG, HEIC, and TIFF image formats • Specify compression quality for JPEG, HEIC, and TIFF formats • Select Auto format to reuse the original image format when possible • Adjust image resolution with a new DPI, or keep the original DPI Reformat Videos • Choose between MP4, QuickTime (MOV), and M4V video formats • Select Auto format to reuse the original video format when possible • Choose video codec between Auto, H.264, and HEVC(H.265) • Specify video bitrate or use Automatic Edit Photos and Videos • Flip and rotate images or videos • Choose a background color for Fit mode • Specify default background color for photos and videos • Adjust position and offset for Fill and Fit modes Manage Colors for Photo and Video • Apply one of 12 Color Profiles, inlcuding Original (Automatic) • Process photos and videos while preserving HDR Templates • Use a universal set of 100+ standard templates to resize photos and videos for specific platforms and standards, including Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and more • Create personal templates for your own tasks • Duplicate standard templates and modify personal templates • Customize standard Tempalate Library for your workflow and needs Photo Viewer and Video Player • Preview photos or play videos on the Result screen (long press a photo or video to preview) Share Photos and Videos • Save results to the Photo Library or Files app • Share results via Instagram, Mail, Facebook, Messages, etc • Use original or custom names for shared results ——— Basic (Free) version has some limitations. You can learn more about them inside the app. ——— Upgrade to PRO to unlock all features and remove all Basic version limitations (In-App Purchase). PRO version is available to other family members when Family Sharing is enabled.
PRO version can be canceled at any time. ——— Maximum target pixel size for photos and videos: Photos (8-bit): • Basic (Free) version: 4,032 x 3,024 px • PRO version: from 12,000 x 10,000 px (iPhone XR) up to 18,000 x 12,000 px (iPhone 16 Pro) Note: Maximum size for 16-bit photos is lower due to hardware limitations. Videos: • Basic (Free) version: 1920 x 1080 px • PRO version: 7680 x 4320 pixels (8K) ——— Contact & Links • Contact us by Email: contact@desqueeze.com • Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @desqueeze • Visit our Website: http://desqueeze.com • Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ • Privacy Policy: http://desqueeze.com/privacy

About

TakeStage

This app provides high-quality video and audio recordings during calls, specifically designed for musicians. It offers individual participant recording, remote device control, and intelligent audio features for professional results. Recordings are automatically uploaded to a cloud library for easy access and sharing.

Highlights
  • Individual participant recording
  • Durable local recording
  • Remote device control
  • Simple roles and invites
  • Intelligent audio switching
  • Automatic cloud library
Features
Read full description

TakeStage records each take on the performer's iPhone/iPad in HD with the teacher guiding and annotating over the call. The teacher can start the recording on a countdown, change the framing, and leave notes at the exact moment in the take. A frozen call never ends up in the video, and each take is one high quality, unedited recording - the way schools and festival panels prefer. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Desqueeze4 screens
TakeStage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TakeStage at 100% against Desqueeze's 71%. TakeStage also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Desqueeze's advantage is ratings volume (775 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Desqueeze sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month and TakeStage sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TakeStage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desqueeze has 775 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Desqueeze's written reviews are positive against 100% of TakeStage's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Desqueeze ships an update every 3 weeks, TakeStage fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Desqueeze versus TakeStage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesqueezeTakeStage
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (775 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings775 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB89 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAliaksei KhutarshchykauPopovMedia LLC

Customer experience

Desqueeze

All ratings775 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral2.7%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews114 reviews
Positive71.1%
Neutral7.9%
Negative21.1%

TakeStage

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Desqueeze

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Video quality degradation after processing
  • Incompatibility with newer iPhone resolutions
  • Inability to save to Photos app
  • Freezing and crashing on certain devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Option to keep original file names
  • Preserve EXIF data for processed files
  • More image resampling algorithm options
  • Landscape mode support for iPad
  • Ability to delete processed images

TakeStage

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Desqueeze

Subscriptions2
  • PRO Monthly3 Days trial$4.491 Month
  • PRO Annual3 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access to PRO Version$59.99
1 purchases

TakeStage

Subscriptions1
  • Enthusiast Package Monthly$7.991 Month

Questions

Is Desqueeze free?
Desqueeze is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TakeStage free?
TakeStage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Desqueeze or TakeStage?
TakeStage is rated higher. Desqueeze averages 4.6 out of 5 from 775 ratings, while TakeStage averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do Desqueeze or TakeStage have ads?
Neither Desqueeze nor TakeStage shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Desqueeze or TakeStage?
Desqueeze ships an update every 3 weeks, and TakeStage fortnightly. Most recently, Desqueeze was updated on November 2, 2026 and TakeStage on October 27, 2026.

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