# Black Background vs BLVCK

Black Background and BLVCK both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 59% of BLVCK's written reviews are positive against 0% of Black Background's. BLVCK also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). Black Background's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Black Background sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and BLVCK sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Black Background against 4.0 for BLVCK. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 132 and 209 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of Black Background's written reviews are positive against 59% of BLVCK's.

Black Background ships an update every 4 months, BLVCK every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Black Background | BLVCK |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (132 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-background/id1491412555/reviews)** | [4.0 (209 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blvck-black-and-white-effect/id6444122959/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 132 | **209** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **58.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 14 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [T-Logic](https://appshunter.io/developer/525129281) | [Priyaben Patel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1568939806) |

## What reviewers say

### Black Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-background/id1491412555)

Easily add black backgrounds to your photos to create perfectly square images for social media. Enhance your pictures with a simple tap and export them ready for platforms like Instagram.

**Highlights:** Add black backgrounds to photos, Create square images, Social media optimization, Easy to use interface, Export photos

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Month Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $4.99 | one-time |


### BLVCK

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blvck-black-and-white-effect/id6444122959)

Transform your photos into professional-grade black and white masterpieces with a variety of filters and textures. Easily add grunge, grain, dust, and creative borders for artistic effects without complex editing.

**Highlights:** Black and white photo effects, Over 50 B&W filters, Duotone filters, Photo textures (grain, dust, light leak), Creative photo borders, Blend modes with borders

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BLVCK-PREMIUM-Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| BLVCK-PREMIUM-YEARLY | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great filters
- 👍 Useful black and white features
- 👍 Fun to use
- 👍 Nice visual effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🤖 Annoying rating request pop-ups
- 🤖 Keeps asking for rating even after rating
- 🤖 Confusing interface elements

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when loading photos from camera roll
- Unstable and frequently closes without warning

**Requested features**

- Allow choosing own duotone colors
- Add video tutorial for using black and white features
- Improve stability and reduce crashes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Black Background free?

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

### Is BLVCK free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Black Background or BLVCK?

Black Background is rated higher. Black Background averages 4.1 out of 5 from 132 ratings, while BLVCK averages 4.0 from 209 ratings.

### Do Black Background or BLVCK have ads?

Neither Black Background nor BLVCK shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Black Background or BLVCK?

Black Background ships an update every 4 months, and BLVCK every 5 weeks. Most recently, Black Background was updated on November 3, 2026 and BLVCK 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.*