# Darkness Camera vs Thermal Camera

The clearest difference is rating: Thermal Camera at 4.3 against Darkness Camera's 1.0. Thermal Camera also leads on ratings volume (400 vs 1). Darkness Camera's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and review sentiment (50% vs 30%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Darkness Camera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Thermal Camera sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Thermal Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thermal Camera has 400 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Darkness Camera's written reviews are positive against 30% of Thermal Camera's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Darkness Camera ships an update every 4 months, Thermal Camera every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Darkness Camera | Thermal Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkness-camera/id1491136016/reviews) | **[4.3 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermal-camera-night-vision/id6450264889/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **400** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 23 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Souria HAKKAR](https://appshunter.io/developer/591620891) | [Saken Erzhanev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692552059) |

## What reviewers say

### Darkness Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkness-camera/id1491136016)

Capture clear photos and videos even in low-light conditions. This utility app enhances image quality by allowing adjustable exposure times and utilizes the device's torch for illumination in complete darkness.

**Highlights:** Low-light photography, Adjustable exposure time, Torch activation for photos, Video recording in dark, Simple gesture controls

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hide Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Thermal Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermal-camera-night-vision/id6450264889)

Transform ordinary videos into extraordinary visual experiences with a variety of unique effects like thermal, night vision, and x-ray. Record new footage or import existing videos, preview effects in real-time, and easily save or share your creations.

**Highlights:** Capture or import videos, Thermal, night vision, x-ray effects, Psychedelic video filters, Real-time effect preview, Save and share creations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thermal Cam Premium Week Promo | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Thermal Camera Premium Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Thermal Camera Premium Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Thermal Camera Premium Annual | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Users love the app's core functionality when it works
- 💾 Ability to save thermal images to phone
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🎨 Visually appealing thermal effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive paywall and subscription model
- 🚫 Limited free version functionality
- ❌ App doesn't work as advertised thermal camera
- 🔍 Detects light, not actual heat/temperature
- 😤 Misleading free-to-play presentation

**Reported bugs**

- Thermal video upload fails
- App doesn't detect heat from hands/objects
- Only applies visual filters instead of thermal detection
- Crashes or freezes on certain iPhone models (12 mini reported)
- Misleading 'Get' button that leads to paywall instead of free access

**Requested features**

- Functional free trial or demo mode before requiring payment
- Clear pricing disclosure before download
- Actual thermal imaging capability, not just filters
- Better documentation on how to use limited free features
- Real temperature detection functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Darkness Camera free?

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

### Is Thermal Camera free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Darkness Camera or Thermal Camera?

Thermal Camera is rated higher. Darkness Camera averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Thermal Camera averages 4.3 from 400 ratings.

### Do Darkness Camera or Thermal Camera have ads?

Neither Darkness Camera nor Thermal Camera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Darkness Camera or Thermal Camera?

Darkness Camera ships an update every 4 months, and Thermal Camera every 2 months. Most recently, Darkness Camera was updated on September 24, 2026 and Thermal Camera on September 27, 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.*