Comparison

Phocus vs Kortex Captions

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

Kortex Captions

Features
Read full description

Kortex Captions helps you create social media captions that fit your photos and writing voice. Start with a photo, choose a mood and length, and generate multiple caption directions. Analyze recent captions to build a personal style, or write manually when you prefer. Preview drafts, copy a caption, and open the platform where you want to share it. Kortex Captions supports photo selection, camera capture, secure Instagram login, multiple languages, and persistent language preferences. Premium options provide additional caption credits and remove ads. Feature availability may vary by account, platform, and region.

Screenshots

Phocus4 screens
Kortex Captions4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Phocus at none against Kortex Captions's shown. Phocus also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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 Kortex Captions sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phocus ships an update every 11 days, Kortex Captions every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Phocus versus Kortex Captions: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhocusKortex Captions
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (6.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews49.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings6.8K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size322 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRAY INFORMATICS YAZILIM TEKNOLOJI MEDYA DANISMANLIK VE EGITIM TICARET LIMITED SIRKETIGary Mizrachi

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

Kortex Captions

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
1 purchases

Kortex Captions

One-time1
  • Kortex Captions Pro$2.99

Questions

Is Phocus free?
Phocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kortex Captions free?
Kortex Captions is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Phocus or Kortex Captions have ads?
Kortex Captions shows ads; Phocus does not.
Which is updated more often, Phocus or Kortex Captions?
Phocus ships an update every 11 days, and Kortex Captions every 2 weeks. Most recently, Phocus was updated on November 12, 2026 and Kortex Captions on October 31, 2026.

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