# Empio vs Effects Camera

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Empio at none against Effects Camera's 3. Empio also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Effects Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Empio asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Empio against 4.6 for Effects Camera. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30 and 24 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Empio's written reviews are positive against 80% of Effects Camera's.

Empio ships an update every 8 days, Effects Camera every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Empio | Effects Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empio-live-video-effects/id1506774465/reviews) | **[4.6 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/effects-camera-video-effects/id1512176435/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **30** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Krootl OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447231369) | [煦慧 蒙](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454088468) |

## What reviewers say

### Empio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empio-live-video-effects/id1506774465)

Create surreal live videos and photos with a wide range of digital effects. Apply customizable filters to people or backgrounds in real-time and share your unique creations across social platforms.

**Highlights:** Real-time people recognition, Customizable effects, Live video and photo creation, Extensive filter collection, Social media sharing, ARKit 3 People Occlusion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Effects Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/effects-camera-video-effects/id1512176435)

Enhance your videos with a variety of unique live filters and animations. Add special effects like falling snow or lens flares with a single tap. Offers premium subscriptions for extended features.

**Highlights:** One-click photo and video effects, Live effects studio, 20+ animations and enhancements, Autumn leaves effect, Falling snow effect, Anamorphic lens flares

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Week Membership | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| One Month Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Empio free?

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

### Is Effects Camera free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Empio or Effects Camera?

Effects Camera is rated higher. Empio averages 4.5 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Effects Camera averages 4.6 from 24 ratings.

### Do Empio or Effects Camera have ads?

Neither Empio nor Effects Camera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Empio or Effects Camera?

Empio ships an update every 8 days, and Effects Camera every 3 weeks. Most recently, Empio was updated on October 25, 2026 and Effects Camera on October 23, 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.*