# VideoLUT vs Afterlight

The clearest difference is monetization model: VideoLUT at free with in-app purchases against Afterlight's subscription. VideoLUT also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). Afterlight's advantage is review sentiment (90% vs 68%) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VideoLUT sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Afterlight sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Afterlight holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 356 and 171 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of VideoLUT's written reviews are positive against 90% of Afterlight's.

VideoLUT ships an update every 3 days, Afterlight fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VideoLUT | Afterlight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (356 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/videolut/id1082340556/reviews) | **[4.6 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afterlight-video-editor/id1622663208/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **356** | 171 |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews | **90.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 233 MB | 251 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Enrique Garcia](https://appshunter.io/developer/673272774) | [Afterlight Collective, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/573116093) |

## What reviewers say

### VideoLUT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/videolut/id1082340556)

Easily transform videos and photos with over 2500 cinematic color grading presets. Import, edit, and apply LUTs, or even record directly with applied looks. Create and share your own custom LUTs for ultimate creative control.

**Highlights:** 2500+ cinematic LUT presets, Import and apply .cube, .3dl, and .png LUTs, Record video with applied LUTs, Create and share custom LUTs, Advanced color grading tools (color wheels, curves), Support for iCloud and Dropbox import/export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VideoLUT PRO | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| VideoLUT PRO | $6.99 | per year |
| VideoLUT PRO | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Powerful color grading features
- 🎨 Extensive LUT library
- 🔍 Detailed color adjustment tools
- 🤳 Convenient mobile editing
- 💰 Good value for one-time purchase

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Unintuitive UI/UX
- 🔒 Unexpected paywall after purchase
- 🔇 Audio sync issues
- 📽️ Limited export options

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to import custom LUTs
- Saved presets disappearing
- Exporting issues with certain video formats
- Compatibility problems with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Batch video processing
- Undo/redo functionality
- Higher resolution export
- iPad-native interface
- Improved LUT management


### Afterlight

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afterlight-video-editor/id1622663208)

Create film-inspired aesthetics for your videos with one-tap presets, authentic overlays, and a range of creative editing tools. Enhance your clips with filters, transitions, and detailed adjustments for a cinematic look.

**Highlights:** One-tap vintage presets, Authentic film overlays, Seamless clip transitions, 32 creative filters, Precise clip editing tools, Advanced adjustment tools

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| PRO Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| PRO Lifetime | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Great vintage effects
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🌟 Good for quick edits
- 🎬 Film effects and presets
- 🎨 Interesting and fun colors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Videos darken on export
- ⏳ App not updated in years
- 🎦 Lacks many features

**Reported bugs**

- Exporting darkens videos
- Videos darken when uploaded to Instagram Stories

**Requested features**

- Add more filters & presets
- Add more vintage effect variations
- Add text adding features
- Add 4K export at 60fps
- Revamp the whole system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VideoLUT free?

VideoLUT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Afterlight free?

Afterlight is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, VideoLUT or Afterlight?

Afterlight is rated higher. VideoLUT averages 4.3 out of 5 from 356 ratings, while Afterlight averages 4.6 from 171 ratings.

### Do VideoLUT or Afterlight have ads?

Neither VideoLUT nor Afterlight shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VideoLUT or Afterlight?

VideoLUT ships an update every 3 days, and Afterlight fortnightly. Most recently, VideoLUT was updated on October 29, 2026 and Afterlight on October 22, 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.*