Comparison

Distressed FX vs MainframePunch

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

Head to head
About

Distressed FX

Transform ordinary photos into unique works of art with a vast collection of textures and overlays. This app offers exclusive access to all current and future filters and effects for a single payment, making photo editing accessible and creative.

Highlights
  • Access to all current and future filters
  • Exclusive new effects and features
  • Wide range of textured images and overlays
  • Transform mundane photos into art
  • Ideal for still life and landscape photography
Features
Read full description

Distressed FX Plus is a special edition of the highly acclaimed original. For a small single payment, you will get access to all current and future filters, as well as exclusive access to all new effects and features ahead of release on the original app. This is an extraordinary opportunity to harness all the amazing effects from Distressed FX. If you are ready to take your photos to the next level, this is the ideal investment at a bargain price. Creating gorgeous artwork from your photos has never been easier. With Distressed FX, simply take a photo and choose from a wide range of textured images and overlays. Transform even the most mundane photo into a work of art. See our hashtag #distressedFX on Instagram to see 100k+ examples! ** Featured by Mac Format and Black + White Photography Magazine Join us at: www.facebook.com/DistressedFX www.instagram.com/distressedfxapp/ • Particularly suited to still life and landscape photography - this app will perfectly compliment your existing collection of photo apps. Distressed FX is powered by the textures of Cheryl Tarrant, a texture artist from Tennessee. Her popular and unique style is now available in your pocket, wherever you go. • Follow Cheryl on Instagram http://instagram.com/distressedfxapp • Be our friend on Facebook www.facebook.com/DistressedFX • Follow us on Twitter : @distressedfx See examples of the Cheryl's distinctive work here: www.flickr.com/photos/jewellofdistressed/ ** Find out more about Distressed Textures at www.distressedfx.com & www.distressedtextures.com Distressed FX (tm) is a trademark of Cheryl Tarrant in the United States of America.

About

MainframePunch

Transform your text into animated, retro punch-card videos with authentic hole patterns and sounds. Add custom captions, preview your creations, and share them instantly. All processing is done on your device for maximum privacy.

Highlights
  • Authentic 80-column punch card creation
  • Live preview and video recording
  • Customizable bottom caption
  • Synchronized punch audio
  • Automatic text flow across multiple cards
  • Adjustable animation speed and card scale
  • On-device processing for privacy
Features
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MID-CENTURY MODERN MESSAGING Before emojis, before texting, before the screen — there was the punch card. MainframePunch turns whatever you type into an authentic keypunch card, punched column by column, with the clack of a real Hollerith machine. Send one to a friend and they hear the punches too. PUNCH CARDS RIGHT INSIDE MESSAGES — FREE Tap the MainframePunch icon in any conversation and punch a card without leaving the chat: Realistic Custom Card — classic manila stock, your words in real Hollerith code Mid-Century Color Card — the same encoding in period-correct pastels Ready-made cards — SEND COFFEE / ON MY WAY / SYNTAX ERROR / ABEND / CALL ME and more Every iMessage single card animates as it punches and carries genuine keypunch audio, so your recipient watches and hears the machine work. All of it is free. No account, no limits, no catch. THE OPERATOR'S CONSOLE Open the app for the full machine: Type or paste your message and watch the beam sweep across the card Stack up to seven cards into a single deck Export a Full Reel — a shareable video with synced punch audio Send along a Hollerith decoder card so anyone can read the holes (for education or to drive your friends crazy!) Adjust punch speed from deliberate to production line CORRECT DOWN TO THE HOLE Every character is encoded per ANSI X3.26 Hollerith — the same zone and digit punches an IBM 029 would have made in 1964. The sound is sampled from an actual keypunch machine, not a synthesized click. OPERATOR ACCESS Everything is unlimited for your first fourteen days. After that, punching cards in iMessage stay free, and an Operator subscription keeps the reel exporter running: Monthly — $2.99, with a 3-day free trial Annual — $19.99, with a 7-day free trial Already bought MainframePunch? Thank you. Your purchase carries over — you keep everything, permanently, at no charge. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://mainframepunch.com/privacypolicy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Distressed FX4 screens
MainframePunch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MainframePunch at Free against Distressed FX's $19.99. MainframePunch also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 13) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Distressed FX's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 12 months). On rating, ads, monetization model and device support 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

MainframePunch is free to download; Distressed FX costs $19.99 up front. Distressed FX sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. MainframePunch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MainframePunch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Distressed FX has 1.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Distressed FX ships an update every 3 months, MainframePunch every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Distressed FX versus MainframePunch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDistressed FXMainframePunch
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (1.2K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.2K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#157 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWe Are HereThomas Gillan

Bugs and requests

Distressed FX

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to download or load certain textures/overlays
  • App crashing when opening photos
  • Saving edited photos at lower resolutions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Masking and selective editing tools
  • Zoom and precise control for editing
  • Ability to use app on Mac devices
  • Improved customer support and communication

MainframePunch

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Distressed FX

One-time13
  • Beyond SkiesFree
  • The HeavensFree
  • Bokeh IllusionsFree
Show 10 more
  • The LightsFree
  • Artist BeginningsFree
  • Box of colorsFree
  • Old World GalleryFree
  • Obscure TexturesFree
  • Painterly GrungeFree
  • Sky BeautyFree
  • The NeutralsFree
  • Vintage CollectionFree
  • Atmospheric LightFree
None

MainframePunch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Distressed FX free?
Distressed FX costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is MainframePunch free?
MainframePunch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Distressed FX or MainframePunch?
MainframePunch is rated higher. Distressed FX averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while MainframePunch averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Distressed FX or MainframePunch have ads?
Neither Distressed FX nor MainframePunch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Distressed FX or MainframePunch?
Distressed FX ships an update every 3 months, and MainframePunch every 12 months. Most recently, Distressed FX was updated on October 29, 2026 and MainframePunch on October 30, 2026.

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