# Camera M vs Light Stack Camera

The clearest difference is price: Light Stack Camera at Free against Camera M's $7.99. Light Stack Camera also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Camera M's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 28). On review sentiment, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Light Stack Camera is free to download; Camera M costs $7.99 up front. Light Stack Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Camera M asks for nothing beyond the download.

Light Stack Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Camera M has 1.4K ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Camera M's written reviews are positive against 73% of Light Stack Camera's.

Camera M ships an update every 3 weeks, Light Stack Camera weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Camera M | Light Stack Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camera-m-pro-manual-camera/id1239098425/reviews) | **[4.7 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-stack-camera/id6450390187/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | 68.4% of reviews | **73.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#152** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [bxb](https://appshunter.io/developer/312145555) | [Cogitap Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/338236702) |

## What reviewers say

### Camera M

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camera-m-pro-manual-camera/id1239098425)

**Currently charting:** #152 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app offers professional manual camera controls for capturing high-quality photos, akin to a DSLR. It provides advanced features like RAW and ProRAW support, precise manual adjustments for focus, exposure, and white balance, and various shooting modes for creative control.

**Highlights:** Fluid gesture-based manual controls, Zero-process RAW and ProRAW support, Max Image Processing for best quality, Manual focus, exposure, and white balance, Multiple shooting modes (Burst, Timer, Bracket), Focus Peaking and 4x magnifier, Live RGB and luminance histograms

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app
- 💡 Excellent manual camera controls
- 🎨 Produces high-quality images
- 🔒 No data collection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Lack of Russian language support
- 🔒 No option to select front-facing camera
- 🔒 Limited shutter speed options

**Reported bugs**

- Viewfinder freezes and app crashes
- RAW images come out blurry
- Depth mode has issues with focus and bokeh
- Settings buttons become unresponsive
- Shutter speed resets after each shot

**Requested features**

- Add video capture mode
- Implement longer shutter speed options
- Include focus bracketing and stacking
- Add color grading tools for RAW images
- Provide more aspect ratio options


### Light Stack Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-stack-camera/id6450390187)

Capture incredibly sharp long exposure photos without a tripod. Advanced AI stabilization allows for handheld shots up to 30 seconds, providing natural-looking results. Unique features like true-to-motion preview and customizable failure responses ensure control and prevent ruined shots.

**Highlights:** AI-stabilized long exposures, Handheld shooting up to 30 seconds, True-to-motion live preview, Customizable failure response options, Full-resolution image pipeline

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Camera M free?

Camera M costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Light Stack Camera free?

Light Stack Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Camera M or Light Stack Camera?

Light Stack Camera is rated higher. Camera M averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Light Stack Camera averages 4.7 from 28 ratings.

### Do Camera M or Light Stack Camera have ads?

Neither Camera M nor Light Stack Camera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Camera M or Light Stack Camera?

Camera M ships an update every 3 weeks, and Light Stack Camera weekly. Most recently, Camera M was updated on October 16, 2026 and Light Stack Camera on October 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*