# VIEWBUG vs das Image Search and Explore

VIEWBUG and das Image Search and Explore both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of das Image Search and Explore's written reviews are positive against 47% of VIEWBUG's. das Image Search and Explore also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). VIEWBUG's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (13K vs 1.2K). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VIEWBUG sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and das Image Search and Explore sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for VIEWBUG against 4.7 for das Image Search and Explore. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VIEWBUG has 13K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 47% of VIEWBUG's written reviews are positive against 91% of das Image Search and Explore's.

VIEWBUG ships an update every 3 weeks, das Image Search and Explore every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VIEWBUG | das Image Search and Explore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viewbug-photography/id1100927060/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/das-image-search-and-explore/id1464079804/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | 46.9% of reviews | **91.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 238 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ViewBug](https://appshunter.io/developer/1100927059) | [Florian Voss](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464079803) |

## What reviewers say

### VIEWBUG

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viewbug-photography/id1100927060)

Connect with a global community of photographers to participate in creative challenges and photo contests. Improve your skills with feedback, editing tools, and inspiration from millions of shared images. Win exciting prizes and get discovered.

**Highlights:** Photo contests and challenges, Creative feedback from peers, Powerful photo editor, Advanced photo presets and filters, Browse millions of photos for inspiration, Photo tips and tutorials

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro | $7.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly Special | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro+ Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly Special | $19.99 | per year |
| Photo Editor PRO | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly Special No Trial | $39.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Pro+ yearly | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent photography community
- 💡 Inspiring and motivating for photographers
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🌟 Great platform to showcase and share photos
- 🌟 Variety of photography challenges and contests

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to website
- 💰 Expensive paid subscription
- 🙅‍♀️ Difficulty in deleting account or opting out of emails
- 🤔 Concerns about fairness and favoritism in contests

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to upload or view photos
- Notifications not working properly
- Issues with logging in and accessing account
- Disappearing photos and awards
- Inconsistent app performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to view messages and inbox within the app
- Landscape mode support for iPad users
- More free features and contests for non-paying users
- Improved syncing between app and website
- Better photo editing tools and metadata management


### das Image Search and Explore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/das-image-search-and-explore/id1464079804)

Discover and search for images, wallpapers, and GIFs from various sources. Customize your viewing experience with multiple layouts, filters, and modes. Enjoy privacy with on-device search history and find content that perfectly fits your device's resolution.

**Highlights:** Explore and search images, Multiple layout options (table, grid, wallpaper, waterfall), Adjustable image size and full zoom, Light/dark mode and orientation options, On-device search history for privacy, Search multiple engines and photo platforms, Advanced search filters (layout, color, size, type, freshness), Animated GIF search

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Forever Ad-Free | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great image search app
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔍 Comprehensive search sources
- 💡 Helpful for artists and creators
- 🔍 Efficient image finding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or errors
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 📤 Inconsistent file naming for downloads
- 🔍 Ads can be intrusive in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Google search source not working for some users
- App crashes when changing search sources

**Requested features**

- Add more language support
- Implement a slideshow feature
- Allow custom file naming for downloads
- Provide a premium ad-free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VIEWBUG free?

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

### Is das Image Search and Explore free?

das Image Search and Explore is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, VIEWBUG or das Image Search and Explore?

das Image Search and Explore is rated higher. VIEWBUG averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while das Image Search and Explore averages 4.7 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do VIEWBUG or das Image Search and Explore have ads?

das Image Search and Explore shows ads; VIEWBUG does not.

### Which is updated more often, VIEWBUG or das Image Search and Explore?

VIEWBUG ships an update every 3 weeks, and das Image Search and Explore every 9 days. Most recently, VIEWBUG was updated on October 31, 2026 and das Image Search and Explore on October 24, 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.*