# Phocus vs Blur Background

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Phocus at 50% against Blur Background's 10%. Phocus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Blur Background's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phocus sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Blur Background asks for nothing beyond the download.

Phocus holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phocus has 6.8K ratings behind it against 853, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Phocus's written reviews are positive against 10% of Blur Background's.

Phocus ships an update fortnightly, Blur Background every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phocus | Blur Background |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phocus-dslr-portrait-camera/id1211807807/reviews)** | [4.3 (853 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blur-background/id1444867576/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.8K** | 853 |
| Positive reviews | **49.5% of reviews** | 10.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 320 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RAY INFORMATICS YAZILIM TEKNOLOJI MEDYA DANISMANLIK VE EGITIM TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/965885089) | [Jyoti Virani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1354431469) |

## What reviewers say

### Phocus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phocus-dslr-portrait-camera/id1211807807)

This AI-powered app creates DSLR-style portraits by simulating realistic background blur and offering advanced 3D relighting capabilities. It allows for precise control over depth, lighting, and scene atmosphere, transforming any photo into a cinematic masterpiece.

**Highlights:** DSLR-style portrait creation, Realistic background blur simulation, Advanced 3D relighting, AI-powered subject detection, DSLR lens emulation, Portrait video blur

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phocus AI Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Phocus AI Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Phocus AI Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Phocus AI Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Phocus AI Unlimited Access | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Best tool camera app
- 👍 Easy editing, works great
- 👍 Makes your phone current

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Hilariously terrible effects
- 🔒 Can't limit access to personal stuff
- 🐛 Awful, blurs everything
- 🐛 Crashes too much
- 🐛 Doesn't render, gets stuck

**Reported bugs**

- Can't save pictures
- Photos don't download
- Unable to save picture
- Camera crashes when clicking portrait
- App dies if you don't upgrade

**Requested features**

- Change bokeh shapes/effects
- Add manual brush to control bokeh
- Make it a photo extension in Photos app
- Add more shadows and directional lighting


### Blur Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blur-background/id1444867576)

Easily blur unwanted parts of your photos to create professional-looking effects. Select images from your gallery or camera, apply blur with adjustable brush sizes and effect strength, and then save or share your creations.

**Highlights:** Blur unwanted photo parts, Adjust blur effect strength, Select photos from gallery or camera, Adjustable blur brush size, Save and share edited photos

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great app for showing off catches
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💯 Perfect results

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to access controls
- 🚫 Ads disrupt the experience
- 🔨 Limited functionality
- 🤯 Crashes and glitches
- 📏 Doesn't fit screen properly

**Reported bugs**

- Done button overlaps with phone UI
- Blur tools don't work as expected
- App doesn't load properly on some devices

**Requested features**

- Improve button placement and accessibility
- Add more advanced editing tools
- Reduce intrusive ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phocus free?

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

### Is Blur Background free?

Blur Background is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phocus or Blur Background?

Phocus is rated higher. Phocus averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while Blur Background averages 4.3 from 853 ratings.

### Do Phocus or Blur Background have ads?

Blur Background shows ads; Phocus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phocus or Blur Background?

Phocus ships an update fortnightly, and Blur Background every 3 months. Most recently, Phocus was updated on October 24, 2026 and Blur Background 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.*