# Illumination Video vs Dark Studio

The clearest difference is price: Dark Studio at Free against Illumination Video's $0.99. Dark Studio also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 20 months). Illumination Video's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Dark Studio is free to download; Illumination Video costs $0.99 up front. Dark Studio sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Illumination Video asks for nothing beyond the download.

Illumination Video ships an update every 20 months, Dark Studio every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Illumination Video | Dark Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-studio/id1618497131/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **11** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 20 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 3 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masanori Katsuta](https://appshunter.io/developer/320172788) | [Anatoly Lapshin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1331102741) |

## What reviewers say

### Illumination Video

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/illumination-video/id1542879864)

Transform your photos into dazzling illumination videos with customizable lighting effects. Easily import images from your camera, camera roll, or other apps. Share your creations as videos or still images on social media.

**Highlights:** Automatic photo to illumination video conversion, Customizable illumination types and effects, Adjustable lighting interval, size, and background darkness, Import photos from camera, camera roll, or web, Output as video or still images, Share directly to social media

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dark Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-studio/id1618497131)

This app offers a vast collection of dark and color filters for photos and videos. Enhance your media with tinted glass effects, saturation correction, and unique gradients. Create personalized filters and export in high resolution with a premium subscription.

**Highlights:** Extensive dark and color filter library, Saturation correction for time/weather changes, Customizable filter creation and saving, High-resolution video export (up to 4K), Duotone and glow effects, Pixelation and movement effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-month Premium Access | $4.99 | per month |
| 1-year Premium Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Illumination Video free?

Illumination Video costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dark Studio free?

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

### Do Illumination Video or Dark Studio have ads?

Neither Illumination Video nor Dark Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Illumination Video or Dark Studio?

Illumination Video ships an update every 20 months, and Dark Studio every 3 weeks. Most recently, Illumination Video was updated on October 24, 2026 and Dark Studio on October 24, 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.*