# SaberFX Lite vs ProductionCrate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SaberFX Lite at none against ProductionCrate's 5. SaberFX Lite also leads on iOS requirement (13.1 vs 17.0). ProductionCrate's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 12 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ProductionCrate sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. SaberFX Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for SaberFX Lite against 3.9 for ProductionCrate. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 88 and 312 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 59% and 59% positive.

SaberFX Lite ships an update every 12 months, ProductionCrate monthly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SaberFX Lite | ProductionCrate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saberfx-lite/id1276700832/reviews) | **[3.9 (312 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/productioncrate/id1575694812/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 88 | **312** |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews | **58.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 5 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joe Schiwall](https://appshunter.io/developer/408409066) | [PRODUCTIONCRATE STUDIOS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1765586680) |

## What reviewers say

### SaberFX Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saberfx-lite/id1276700832)

Easily add movie-style special effects to your videos. This app functions like a drawing program, allowing you to rotoscope effects directly onto your movie frames. Customize glow, opacity, and width for a professional look.

**Highlights:** Add movie-style special effects, Rotoscoping functionality, Drawing tools for effects, Customizable saber effects, Adjust glow, opacity, and width

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for casual use
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Good for stop motion
- 👍 Awesome app
- 👍 Good final product

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔴 Only two colors (red and green)
- ⏳ Long rendering/editing time
- 🫥 Blurry video output
- 🚫 Copyright bar on exported videos
- 🤔 Difficult to use without manual

**Reported bugs**

- Rendered product not going into photos
- Blurry video output
- Cannot watch/export video
- App sometimes doesn't load video

**Requested features**

- Add more colors (blue, color wheel)
- Add other effects like lightning
- Improve clash effect
- Allow editing with photos
- Improve manual descriptiveness


### ProductionCrate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/productioncrate/id1575694812)

Easily add superpowers, explosions, and fire effects to your videos in seconds. This mobile VFX studio uses real-time motion tracking and 3D rendering to create immersive special effects without requiring technical knowledge. Access a vast library of assets to enhance your video content.

**Highlights:** 10,000+ video FX, Real-time motion tracking, 3D rendering, No green screen required, Intuitive timing control, Access to all current and future special FX

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| 1 Download | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 Downloads | $6.99 | one-time |
| 50 Downloads | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Extremely user friendly and easy to use
- 🚀 Free version has tons of great effects
- 🚀 Effects are super high quality
- 👍 Good for monster movies
- 👍 Game changer for creative cinematic projects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Hard to edit the VFX to be perfect
- 🔒 Download limit on the free version is obscure
- 🔒 Most effects require premium subscription
- 🐛 Can't do a lot of things, not fun
- 🔒 Everything costs money, too greedy

**Reported bugs**

- Download limit exceeded error even without downloads
- Free effects are actually paid
- Camera is extremely slow, like 1 frame per minute
- Effects disappear when moved
- Login issues even with paid subscription

**Requested features**

- More free VFX effects
- Vampire, werewolf, and other monster filters
- Add sound effects
- Allow horizontal orientation
- More free effects, less premium content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SaberFX Lite free?

SaberFX Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ProductionCrate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SaberFX Lite or ProductionCrate?

ProductionCrate is rated higher. SaberFX Lite averages 3.9 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while ProductionCrate averages 3.9 from 312 ratings.

### Do SaberFX Lite or ProductionCrate have ads?

Neither SaberFX Lite nor ProductionCrate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SaberFX Lite or ProductionCrate?

SaberFX Lite ships an update every 12 months, and ProductionCrate monthly. Most recently, SaberFX Lite was updated on November 3, 2026 and ProductionCrate on November 3, 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.*