Real Halftone 2 vs Mono Lab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Real Halftone 2
This app generates halftone dots for photomechanical printing. Users can select dot shapes and adjust CMYK color screen angles to create unique halftone photographs, faithfully reproducing moiré patterns.
- Generates halftone dots
- Adjustable CMYK color screen angles
- Faithful moiré pattern reproduction
- Selectable dot shapes
- Adjust CMY gray replacement with black
Read full descriptionHide full description
Real Halftone 2 is a full-fledged app that generates halftone dots for photomechanical printing. You can select a dot shape and adjust the screen angle of each CMYK color to create a wide variety of halftone photographs. Moiré patterns that appear depending on screen angle combinations are faithfully reproduced as well. [Features] - By adjusting the angle at which the halftone dot screens of each CMYK color are overlapped, the occurrence of moiré can be suppressed. - You can adjust the amount of CMY gray components replaced with black during color separation. - Detailed settings related to halftone dot printing are also available, such as dot shape and screen ruling.
Mono Lab
Explore unexpected visual transformations with a wide array of experimental filters for both black and white and color images. Manipulate images through touch and motion, mapping them across 3D surfaces for unique artistic results.
- 158 B&W distortion filters
- 40 color experimentation filters
- Touch and motion control transformations
- 3D surface mapping
- Raster and vector output
- Save custom filters
Read full descriptionHide full description
Mono Lab is designed for exploring the unexpected. Experiment with images in black and white. (And now Color!) From subtle relief to structural collapse, topology drift, mesh warps, fracture effects, misregistration, and controlled instability, every tool is built for focused experimentation. Responsive. Direct. Tactile. // Interactive Filters (X) Distortion that responds to you. Shift the image through movement and contact. Tilt to bend structure. Rotate to redirect tension. Touch to anchor, drag to stretch, hold to resist. Each gesture leaves a trace. Each motion reshapes the result. // 3D Surface Mode A dimensional approach to distortion. Map images across 12 surfaces and interpret them through 13 lenses. Adjust depth. Refine spatial tension. Each surface behaves differently. Each lens reshapes the outcome. Monochromatic. Structure, tone, dimension, possibility. What You Can Do • 158 filters for black and white distortion • 40 filters for color experimentation (color also works with B&W filters as well) • Touch and motion control transformations • 12 surfaces. 13 lenses • Press, drag, and hold to reshape the image like a surface • Refine light, contrast, and structure • Warp topology and form • Collapse, fracture, and distort • Create raster and vector outputs • Build layered misregistrations • Adjust pressure, grain, and tone • Stack transformations • Save your favorite filters to the Index • Save directly to Files Mono Lab is for designers, artists, photographers, illustrators, and visual experimenters working in black and white.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Real Halftone 2 at Free against Mono Lab's $4.99. Real Halftone 2 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). Mono Lab's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Real Halftone 2 is free to download; Mono Lab costs $4.99 up front. Mono Lab sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Real Halftone 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Real Halftone 2 against 5.0 for Mono Lab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 23 respectively.
Real Halftone 2 ships an update every 3 months, Mono Lab weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Real Halftone 2 | Mono Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.9 (23 ratings) | 5.0 (23 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 94.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 23 | 23 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #5 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 79 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tomoki Kobayashi | Inner Circle |
Customer experience
Real Halftone 2
Mono Lab
In-app purchases
Real Halftone 2
No in-app purchases
Mono Lab
- Pheno Set$1.99
- Print Set$1.99
- ASCII Set$1.99
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Dither Set$1.99









