# HotSteamer vs Illustration Maker

The clearest difference is price: Illustration Maker at Free against HotSteamer's $4.99. Illustration Maker also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 19 months) and review sentiment (11% vs 0%). HotSteamer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Illustration Maker is free to download; HotSteamer costs $4.99 up front. Illustration Maker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. HotSteamer asks for nothing beyond the download.

HotSteamer ships an update every 19 months, Illustration Maker weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotSteamer | Illustration Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/illustration-maker/id1590062598/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **10.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 18 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KOJI HARA](https://appshunter.io/developer/566940810) | [Noboru Kato](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195532207) |

## What reviewers say

### HotSteamer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotsteamer/id1168405157)

Easily add realistic steam effects to your coffee, tea, and food photos. Enhance your social media content with visually appealing, warm imagery in just seconds. The app uses fluid simulation for realistic steam that can be adjusted and repositioned.

**Highlights:** Realistic steam simulation, Apply to camera preview or library photos, Adjust steam intensity, Reposition and resize steam, Record video with steam effects

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Illustration Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/illustration-maker/id1590062598)

Transform your photos into unique illustrations with this free app. It processes portraits, landscapes, and food images directly on your device, ensuring your data remains private. Save your creations and enjoy a secure photo editing experience.

**Highlights:** Photo to illustration conversion, Process portraits, landscapes, and food, On-device data analysis, Save processed images, Free to use

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotSteamer free?

HotSteamer costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Illustration Maker free?

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

### Do HotSteamer or Illustration Maker have ads?

Illustration Maker shows ads; HotSteamer does not.

### Which is updated more often, HotSteamer or Illustration Maker?

HotSteamer ships an update every 19 months, and Illustration Maker weekly. Most recently, HotSteamer was updated on August 29, 2026 and Illustration Maker 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.*