Comparison

Iris vs Obscura

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

Head to head
About

Iris

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Taking the perfect photo has never been easier than with Iris - Pro Camera Control for iOS. Iris allows for quick, single-gesture adjustments to all camera settings, including exposure, ISO, Focus, Zoom, colour temperature and tint. Iris allows you to adjust all of these settings within a simple and beautiful user interface. If you've ever struggled to take photos at night or of small objects close to your phone, then this is the app for you! Iris also allows you to control all of these features from your Apple Watch. Simply open the companion Watch application, swipe to the setting you wish to adjust, and rotate the digital crown. It couldn’t be simpler. You can also take photos on your iPhone with the simple tap of a button on Apple Watch. Highlights - Make quick adjustments to all camera settings with a single swipe of the thumb. - Adjust each camera control using Apple Watch - perfect when using your iPhone with a tripod. - Instantly share your best photos with the world quickly without leaving the app. - Access all cameras on your device, including the telephoto lens on the iPhone 7 Plus. - Easily review and browse the photos you have taken with the in-app photo browser. - Reset the camera to completely automatic settings with the tap of a single button.

About

Obscura

This camera app offers advanced manual controls and professional formats like ProRAW for enhanced photo and video capture. Its intuitive design and tactile interface allow for precise adjustments, while features like focus peaking and histograms aid in achieving stunning results.

Highlights
  • Manual exposure, focus, and white balance controls
  • ProRAW, RAW, HEIC, and JPEG capture formats
  • Live filters and multiple aspect ratios
  • Histogram, focus peaking, and exposure clipping highlights
  • Integrated photo library with editing and sharing
  • Video and Live Photo capture
Features
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Obscura V is a camera app packed full of features to help you take incredible photos. Obscura pairs a stunning design with intuitive controls that make taking photos a delight. — Over its 10+ years on the App Store, Obscura has been featured numerous times around the world, including as Editors’ Choice and App of the Day. — Design Obscura squeezes a bunch of powerful features into simple controls anyone can master. The interface balances aesthetics, ergonomics, and intuitiveness. You won’t want to use anything else. Controls can be reached with one thumb, and gestures and haptics combine to create a tactile experience that lets you stay focused on your subject. — Capture Modes & Formats Obscura captures photos, videos, Live Photos, and portraits. Photos can be captured in RAW, ProRAW, HEIC, and JPEG (on supported devices, see http://obscura.camera/compatibility). Capture images in multiple different aspect ratios, or apply filters live in camera for a wide variety of styles. — Camera Settings Obscura gives you control over exposure, focus, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, and flash, with intuitive controls that make you feel in control of your device’s camera. — Live Filters Obscura includes a bunch of great filters to give your photos instant style but you can also create your own and use them live in-camera. It’s very cool and very powerful. — View Options Obscura lets you display a grid, a spirit level, a histogram, focus peaking, a focus loupe, and exposure clipping highlights to help you understand every detail of what you’re shooting. — Photo Library Obscura has its own interface for browsing, rating, editing, and sharing images, but it’s fully integrated with your system photo library, so images captured with Obscura are available everywhere. — Obscura Ultra Obscura is free to use, with an annual subscription for premium features. See http://obscura.camera/ultra for full details. — I hope you love using Obscura as much as I’ve loved designing and building it. If you do, please consider subscribing to Ultra, leaving a review, or just sharing with a friend. All the best, Ben ———— Privacy Policy: http://obscura.camera/privacy Terms of use: http://obscura.camera/terms

Screenshots

Iris4 screens
Obscura4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Iris at none against Obscura's 5. Iris also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18). Obscura's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months). On price, ads and device support 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. Obscura sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days. Iris asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Iris ships an update every 8 months, Obscura fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Iris versus Obscura: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIrisObscura
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (263 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—52.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—263 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS12.0 — better18
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB173 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStephen AnthonyBen McCarthy

Bugs and requests

Iris

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Obscura

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when trying to use Pro Raw mode
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between lenses
  • Manual settings randomly resetting
  • Photos not saving properly
  • Freezing and black screen issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to save custom camera settings
  • Variable zoom function in pro mode
  • Separate manual control for exposure and ISO
  • Dedicated selfie button
  • Live audio capture for Live Photos

In-app purchases

None

Iris

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Obscura

Subscriptions4
  • Obscura Ultra - Weekly$1.497 Days
  • Obscura Ultra - Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Obscura Ultra7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Obscura Ultra Upgrade1 Year trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Obscura Ultra - One Time$74.99

Questions

Is Iris free?
Iris is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Obscura free?
Obscura is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Iris or Obscura have ads?
Neither Iris nor Obscura shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Iris or Obscura?
Iris ships an update every 8 months, and Obscura fortnightly. Most recently, Iris was updated on September 17, 2026 and Obscura on September 25, 2026.

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