# SMO vs MacroShader

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.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

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.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMO | MacroShader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smo-blips/id1141381072/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macroshader/id6751045993/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SmartMicroOptics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1141381071) | [AstroShader Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655754202) |

## What reviewers say

### SMO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smo-blips/id1141381072)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### MacroShader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macroshader/id6751045993)

Capture stunning close-up images with advanced manual camera controls and specialized processing. Features include focus peaking, RAW saving, and a unique focus shutter for precise macro shots.

**Highlights:** Focus shutter, Focus peaking, Manual camera controls, Save in RAW, Customized image processing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 October 20, 2026 and MacroShader on October 1, 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.*