# HSB Light vs Obscura

The clearest difference is rating: HSB Light at 5.0 against Obscura's 4.1. HSB Light also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18). Obscura's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 32 months) and ratings volume (277 vs 4). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Obscura sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days. HSB Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

HSB Light holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Obscura has 277 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of HSB Light's written reviews are positive against 52% of Obscura's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HSB Light ships an update every 32 months, Obscura every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HSB Light | Obscura |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hsb-light/id1483328431/reviews)** | [4.1 (277 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obscura-pro-camera/id1579306989/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **277** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **52.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 32 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 0 MB | 174 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Veniamin Gribkov](https://appshunter.io/developer/907913370) | [Ben McCarthy](https://appshunter.io/developer/893264216) |

## What reviewers say

### HSB Light

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hsb-light/id1483328431)

This app generates custom light colors for photography and videography. Users can select colors via sliders or a pre-set library to create specific lighting effects and reflections.

**Highlights:** Customizable light colors, Slider controls, Color swatch library, Photography lighting, Reflection effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Obscura

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obscura-pro-camera/id1579306989)

This camera app offers advanced manual controls for photography and videography. It provides a range of capture formats, live filters, and viewing aids to enhance your creative process. An optional subscription unlocks premium features.

**Highlights:** Manual exposure, focus, and white balance controls, RAW, ProRAW, HEIC, and JPEG capture formats, Live filters and custom preset creation, Grid, histogram, and focus peaking view aids, Video and Live Photo recording, Integrated photo library browsing and editing

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Obscura Ultra - Weekly | $1.49 | per 7 days |
| Obscura Ultra - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Obscura Ultra | $24.99 | per year |
| Obscura Ultra Upgrade | $24.99 | per year |
| Obscura Ultra - One Time | $74.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful manual controls
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 🎨 Customizable presets and filters
- 💡 Unique camera gestures and UI
- 🎥 Supports video recording

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based model
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Unintuitive controls and settings
- 🤷‍♂️ Lack of support for newer iPhone lenses

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to use Pro Raw mode
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between lenses
- Manual settings randomly resetting
- Photos not saving properly
- Freezing and black screen issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to save custom camera settings
- Variable zoom function in pro mode
- Separate manual control for exposure and ISO
- Dedicated selfie button
- Live audio capture for Live Photos


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HSB Light free?

HSB Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Obscura free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HSB Light or Obscura?

HSB Light is rated higher. HSB Light averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Obscura averages 4.1 from 277 ratings.

### Do HSB Light or Obscura have ads?

Neither HSB Light nor Obscura shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HSB Light or Obscura?

HSB Light ships an update every 32 months, and Obscura every 2 weeks. Most recently, HSB Light was updated on November 3, 2026 and Obscura 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.*