Comparison

Phocus vs Vivid

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

Head to head
About

Phocus

This advanced camera app offers DSLR-like portrait effects with live bokeh previews and extensive editing tools. It allows users to adjust focus, depth, and apply various lens styles to photos, even those not taken in portrait mode. Features include manual controls, RAW capture, and AI-powered suggestions.

Highlights
  • Live bokeh preview with 8 lens characters
  • AI depth editing for any photo
  • Manual camera controls (ISO, shutter, white balance)
  • RAW and ProRAW capture
  • 3D Relight and Scene Preview
  • Portrait video blur
  • Depth map and matte export
Features
Read full description

Featured by Apple in “Powered by Apple Intelligence” and “Great Apps Updated for iOS 27” around the world, and in “Best New Apps and Updates” in the US and Canada. Phocus is a portrait camera and depth editor for iPhone, iPad, and iPhone Duo. See each lens's bokeh live before you shoot, or bring any photo from your library, even one taken without Portrait mode, and reshape its focus and depth with tools that understand distance, not just outlines. SHOOT - Eight lens characters, from clean and modern to swirly vintage and black and white, each with its own bokeh rendered live in the viewfinder - The blur you see is the blur you get, in the photo and the editor - Live AI depth for real-time blur even where the camera can't measure depth on its own - Live aperture and focus control - Manual ISO, shutter speed, white balance, exposure, and focus - Histogram, zebra, focus peaking, level, and timer - RAW and ProRAW capture - Import your own .cube LUTs, or choose from Daily, Film Looks, Vintage, Signature, and Mono - Lens and color look suggestions with Apple Intelligence, generated on device - Siri, Shortcuts, Lock Screen, and Control Center to open the camera you need EDIT - Change aperture, focus, blur falloff, and bokeh shape after the shot - Edit any photo in your library: AI depth adds realistic blur even to photos taken without Portrait mode - Edit the depth map directly: every color is a distance, so you can pick a depth and brush it over any area - Select a subject with a tap on iOS 27, then refine it with Brush, Erase, and Hardness - Masks in Portrait, Depth, and Select modes - Curves, adjustments, tone, and film grain - 3D Relight and 3D Scene Preview for depth-aware lighting - Copy a photo's look onto other photos, with undo and redo for every change - Save as Portrait keeps the depth with your photo - Export depth maps and portrait mattes - Portrait video blur - Built-in tutorials and Mask Help MADE FOR EVERY SCREEN Phocus adapts to iPhone, iPad, and iPhone Duo. Open your Duo for more room to shoot and edit, or partially fold it with the preview and controls on either side of the fold. "Looking for an app that not only adds the Portrait mode effect to your photos but does a bit more? Then Phocus is the one you're looking for." — iMore "The app is a fine example of technical and artistic craftsmanship." — iGeeksBlog PHOCUS PRO Unlock every lens, look, and tool with Phocus Pro. Subscriptions are billed weekly, monthly or annually at the rate selected depending on the subscription plan. Terms of use: https://rayinformatics.com/terms Privacy policy: https://rayinformatics.com/privacy Contact: https://rayinformatics.com/contact

About

Vivid

Apply filters created by popular bloggers to enhance your photos. Offers a wide range of editing tools for endless creative possibilities. Achieve professional-looking results with ease.

Highlights
  • Blogger-created filters
  • Rich set of processing tools
  • Automatic subscription renewal management
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use links
  • 3-day free trial
Features
Read full description

Vivid is an awesome photo editing app. Here you will find filters from bloggers famous for their ability to process photos. Now your photos will be no worse! Don't forget about the rich set of processing tools - the possibilities are endless! Terms of Subscription: The app subscription is being renewed automatically if it’s not disabled in your iTunes account settings at least within the last 24 hours of the current period. You can manage your subscription in your iTunes account settings, where you can also disable the automatic renewal. You’ll be charged for a new period within 24 hours before the end of the current period. If you purchase a subscription before the end of your trial time, as soon as the purchase is confirmed, the rest of your trial period will be cancelled because your subscription begins. Privacy Policy: https://www.websitepolicies.com/policies/view/YtYLoQwo Terms of Use: https://www.websitepolicies.com/policies/view/jDOEbptw

Screenshots

Phocus4 screens
Vivid4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Phocus at 6.8K against Vivid's 27. Vivid's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 11 days). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Phocus sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Vivid sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vivid holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phocus has 6.8K ratings behind it against 27, 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 57% of Vivid's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phocus ships an update every 11 days, Vivid every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Phocus versus Vivid: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhocusVivid
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (6.8K ratings)4.9 (27 ratings) — better
Positive reviews49.5% of reviews57.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6.8K — better27
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size322 MB214 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRAY INFORMATICS YAZILIM TEKNOLOJI MEDYA DANISMANLIK VE EGITIM TICARET LIMITED SIRKETISemen Pilyukov

Customer experience

Phocus

All ratings6,839 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral4.8%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews501 reviews
Positive49.5%
Neutral5.2%
Negative45.3%

Vivid

All ratings27 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

Bugs and requests

Phocus

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

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

Vivid

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Phocus

Subscriptions4
  • Phocus AI Weekly2 variants$3.997 Days
  • Phocus AI Monthly2 variants$7.991 Month
  • Phocus AI Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Phocus AI Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Phocus AI Unlimited Access$49.99
5 purchases

Vivid

Subscriptions5
  • All filters for a month3 Days trial2 variants$1.491 Month
  • All filters for a month3 Days trial3 variants$2.491 Month
  • All filters for a month3 Days trial3 variants$2.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • All filters for a month3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • All filters for a year3 Days trial$12.491 Year

Questions

Is Phocus free?
Phocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vivid free?
Vivid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Phocus or Vivid?
Vivid is rated higher. Phocus averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while Vivid averages 4.9 from 27 ratings.
Do Phocus or Vivid have ads?
Neither Phocus nor Vivid shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Phocus or Vivid?
Phocus ships an update every 11 days, and Vivid every 3 days. Most recently, Phocus was updated on November 12, 2026 and Vivid on November 3, 2026.

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