# BitCam vs Owncasts

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BitCam at 73% against Owncasts's 0%. BitCam also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (92 vs 7). Owncasts's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BitCam sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Owncasts asks for nothing beyond the download.

BitCam holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BitCam has 92 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of BitCam's written reviews are positive against 0% of Owncasts's.

BitCam ships an update every 2 weeks, Owncasts weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BitCam | Owncasts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (92 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitcam/id1114990619/reviews)** | [3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owncasts/id6451178968/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **92** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **73.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Héliographe, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1784071997) | [Gabe Kangas](https://appshunter.io/developer/395148234) |

## What reviewers say

### BitCam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitcam/id1114990619)

Capture photos with a unique one-bit camera, producing images with only black and white pixels. Experience a retro interface with mechanical sounds and experiment with different pixel resolutions and an 8-color mode. Save your creations as clean PNG files for printing or digital projects.

**Highlights:** One-bit camera (black and white pixels), Retro interface with mechanical sounds, Multiple pixel resolutions, 8-color mode option, Clean PNG output, Atkinson dithering method

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full BitCam | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Average 8-bit camera
- 👍 Fun retro camera
- 👍 Simple and fun to use
- 👍 Stylish nostalgia
- 👍 Characteristic of Iconfactory apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Color cost money
- 🐛 No zoom feature
- 🐛 Incorrect rotation attributes
- 🐛 Freezes after sharing
- 🐛 Doesn't save photos in FatBits mode

**Reported bugs**

- Color graphics not working
- Doesn't recognize camera access
- Saves photos in incorrect orientation

**Requested features**

- Ability to import/edit existing photos
- Video recording function
- Option to adjust brightness/exposure
- Ability to mute sounds
- Inverted mode


### Owncasts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owncasts/id6451178968)

Discover and watch independent live streams from various sources. Receive instant notifications when your favorite streamers go live, ensuring you never miss an update. This app aggregates content from Owncast-powered platforms.

**Highlights:** Watch independent live streams, Get notified when streamers go live, Aggregate Owncast-powered content, On-the-go viewing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BitCam free?

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

### Is Owncasts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BitCam or Owncasts?

BitCam is rated higher. BitCam averages 4.7 out of 5 from 92 ratings, while Owncasts averages 3.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do BitCam or Owncasts have ads?

Neither BitCam nor Owncasts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BitCam or Owncasts?

BitCam ships an update every 2 weeks, and Owncasts weekly. Most recently, BitCam was updated on September 27, 2026 and Owncasts on September 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.*