DiscoMachine Lite vs Lumen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
DiscoMachine Lite
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βAn AR camera app that transforms the space in front of you into a sparkling neon disco. βInstantly turns any space into a party vibe. Perfect for fun videos with friends or loved ones. βEvery scene β night views, indoors, city streets β comes alive with glittering neon effects. Effects move rhythmically to the BGM, creating endlessly entertaining visuals. βIn addition to built-in BGM, you can also use your own music as the background track. *DRM-protected songs (such as purchased songs) may not be available for playback. βShare your recorded videos directly to TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), and more. βLite Version Limitations Only one built-in song can be selected. A LITE VERSION watermark will be added. βIf you enjoy the Lite version, please consider purchasing the full version "DiscoMachine" β enjoy it without the watermark. *Before purchasing the paid version, we recommend first confirming that the Lite version works satisfactorily on your device.
Lumen
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Lumen is an on-device AI camera for still photos. It reads the scene live and tunes focus, exposure and tone for you, then finishes each photo with a hand-crafted, film-inspired color look. Still photography only: Lumen does not record video. TWO MODES β’ AI Β· 12MP: scene-aware processing plus your chosen film look. The preview is WYSIWYG, so what you see is what you get. β’ MAX (Pro): the largest photo size iOS offers for your lens (24MP on iPhone 17 Pro) with the phone's native processing. Lumen's AI finishing and film looks are not applied in MAX. AI CAPTURE: QUALITY OR SPEED In the Β·Β·Β· menu you choose how AI mode balances processing and waiting time. Quality is the default; Speed asks iOS to trade a little processing for a shorter wait after the shutter. FILM LOOKS 14 looks (including Off), inspired by classic analog film: from neutral and soft to warm golden tones, high-contrast black & white, silvery monochrome and sepia, plus punchy street looks like Hard Light and Midnight Glow. Off, Standard and Classic are free; the other looks come with Lumen Pro. Swipe the strip to compare. MACRO, BUILT IN (Pro) Macro switches to the ultra-wide lens itself instead of digitally cropping the main camera. Focus Peaking colors the sharpest edges as you shoot, so you always know what's in focus once depth of field gets razor-thin. Turn on Focus Stacking and Lumen shoots a few frames at different focus distances and merges them into one photo, sharp from front to back, entirely on your iPhone. Best with a steady hand or a small tripod. FOCUS TRIGGER (free) Tap a small detail, hold the shutter and rock the phone gently. Lumen watches that exact spot and fires the moment it's sharp. LUMEN BUDDY (Pro) A small mascot watches the live view and gives short, friendly tips on sharpness, keeping the horizon level and framing. When it recognizes your subject it may suggest a film look. Buddy only advises; it never touches the shutter or your settings. PORTRAIT (Pro, LiDAR devices) Background blur built on your iPhone's LiDAR depth data. Choose an f-stop from f/1.4 to f/8 and Lumen scales both the blur and the depth-of-field zone. Requires iPhone 12 Pro or later Pro models. LOW-LIGHT (Pro) Not Apple's Night mode: Lumen allows exposures of up to half a second so the sensor can use a lower ISO, then adds noise reduction and gentle shadow recovery. Hold steady after the shutter click. PRO MANUAL AND RAW (Pro) Control shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus by hand, and shoot a DNG alongside the JPEG for editing in Lightroom, Darkroom or any RAW editor. BUILT FOR SPEED AND CONTROL β’ Tap to focus and meter anywhere, with an exposure slider next to the focus box. β’ Zoom presets that follow your iPhone's lenses, plus pinch. β’ Camera Control on iPhone 16 and 17: click to shoot, swipe to zoom. β’ Responsive Capture where your iPhone supports it, so you can keep shooting while the previous photo finishes processing. β’ Full EXIF preserved; photos are saved to your Photos library in a dedicated album. FREE AND LUMEN PRO Free: AI mode, the Off, Standard and Classic looks, tap-to-focus, zoom, flash and Focus Trigger. Lumen Pro is a one-time purchase, no subscription, and unlocks all film looks, MAX, Pro manual with RAW, Portrait, Low-Light, Macro with focus stacking, Focus Peaking and Buddy. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything runs on your device. No accounts, no servers, no analytics, no tracking. Your photos never leave your phone unless you share them.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DiscoMachine Lite at none against Lumen's 1. DiscoMachine Lite also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Lumen's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 19 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Lumen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DiscoMachine Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
DiscoMachine Lite ships an update every 19 months, Lumen every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DiscoMachine Lite | Lumen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | Every 6 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No β better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 β better | 17.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 109 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | KOJI HARA | Mario Steenbergen |
In-app purchases
DiscoMachine Lite
No in-app purchases
Lumen
- Lumen Pro$6.99
Questions
Is DiscoMachine Lite free?
Is Lumen free?
Do DiscoMachine Lite or Lumen have ads?
Which is updated more often, DiscoMachine Lite or Lumen?
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