# SWRLY vs JULab

The clearest difference is review sentiment: JULab at 100% against SWRLY's 55%. JULab also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). SWRLY's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (88 vs 5). On ads there is nothing between them.

JULab is free to download; SWRLY costs $4.99 up front. JULab sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. SWRLY asks for nothing beyond the download.

JULab holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SWRLY has 88 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of SWRLY's written reviews are positive against 100% of JULab's.

SWRLY ships an update every 4 months, JULab weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SWRLY | JULab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swrly/id1217621885/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/julab/id6450087435/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 54.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 45 MB | 429 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [James Grote](https://appshunter.io/developer/338517204) | [Shenzhen Julab Cultural Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/568373854) |

## What reviewers say

### SWRLY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swrly/id1217621885)

Recreate the unique swirly bokeh effect of the 1840 Petzval lens. This app is ideal for portraits, offering a sharp center with artistic background blur. Explore antique film presets for a vintage photographic feel.

**Highlights:** Authentic swirly bokeh effect, Ideal for portraits, Depth and TrueDepth support, Antique film presets, Easy to use

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### JULab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/julab/id6450087435)

This app offers a unique Polaroid camera experience with an abstract design. It features a variety of photographic paper filters to replicate film textures and regularly updates with new content. Share your creations and provide feedback to the developers.

**Highlights:** Abstract Polaroid camera design, Authentic film texture reproduction, Variety of photographic paper filters, Regular updates with new content, Unique shutter sound and film roll shape

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ju Coin 10 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ju Coin 100 | $1.99 | one-time |
| JULab Pro One-Time Purchase | $9.99 | one-time |
| 500 JuCoins | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SWRLY free?

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

### Is JULab free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SWRLY or JULab?

JULab is rated higher. SWRLY averages 4.5 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while JULab averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do SWRLY or JULab have ads?

Neither SWRLY nor JULab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SWRLY or JULab?

SWRLY ships an update every 4 months, and JULab weekly. Most recently, SWRLY was updated on October 26, 2026 and JULab 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.*