Comparison

SMO vs MacroShader

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

Head to head
About

SMO

Capture detailed macro and microscopic photos and videos with enhanced magnification and illumination. Features digital zoom, adjustable autofocus, and a timer for stable shots.

Highlights
  • Capture photos and videos
  • Digital zoom for magnification
  • Adjustable flashlight for illumination
  • Manual and autofocus control
  • Full-screen observation
  • In-app timer for stable shots
Features
Read full description

Application with dedicated functions for easy use of the BLIPS lenses; for Macro photos or videos, or for observation at Microscopic scales. FEATURES: - Ability to take pictures and to shoot videos. - Digital Zoom to further increase the magnification and to observe microscopic details on the smartphone screen. - Flashlight can be activated whenever the user wants to increase the illumination on the observed subject, for enhancing the image definition. - Autofocus normally turned off; it can be easily activated and locked, if needed. - Full use of the screen to observe the tiniest details directly on your smartphone. - Timer: for keeping the camera still during the shot

About

MacroShader

Capture incredibly detailed close-up photos with advanced processing. This app enhances image resolution by combining multiple shots and offers manual camera controls for precise adjustments. It includes focus peaking and editing tools for fine-tuning your macro shots.

Highlights
  • Multi-frame super resolution processing
  • Focus shutter with tap and hold functionality
  • Focus peaking for precise focus
  • Manual camera controls
  • Size-specific detail enhancements
Features
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A macro and zoom photography app for iPhone. MacroShader maximises image detail by capturing multiple photos and using advanced processing techniques to improve image resolution. Features include: - Multi-frame super resolution processing - Focus shutter: Tap, hold, focus and release to shoot a photo. Also just tap to shoot - Focus peaking - Manual camera controls - Editing tools including size-specific detail enhancements

Screenshots

SMO3 screens
MacroShader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MacroShader at 100% against SMO's 45%. MacroShader also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.2). SMO's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MacroShader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SMO has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of SMO's written reviews are positive against 100% of MacroShader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SMO versus MacroShader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSMOMacroShader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (16 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews45.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS8.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSmartMicroOpticsAstroShader Limited

Customer experience

SMO

All ratings16 ratings
Positive56.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative31.3%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive45.5%
Neutral9.1%
Negative45.5%

MacroShader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

SMO

No in-app purchases

None

MacroShader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SMO free?
SMO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MacroShader free?
MacroShader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SMO or MacroShader?
MacroShader is rated higher. SMO averages 3.2 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while MacroShader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SMO or MacroShader have ads?
Neither SMO nor MacroShader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SMO or MacroShader?
SMO ships an update every 4 months, and MacroShader every 4 months. Most recently, SMO was updated on November 2, 2026 and MacroShader on November 5, 2026.

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