Focalware vs Understudy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Focalware
This app helps photographers and filmmakers visualize the sun and moon's path and height for any location and date. It provides rise/set times, azimuth, elevation, and moon phases, with an interactive compass and map for planning outdoor shoots.
- Sun/Moon position calculation
- Interactive compass and map
- Rise and set times
- Azimuth and elevation data
- Moon phase tracking
- Custom location saving
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Focalware calculates sun and moon position for a given location and date. Use the interactive compass to determine the path and height of the sun or moon. Photographers and filmmakers who are always asked by their clients for the sun, moon and stars, can now deliver. Features - Support for compass on devices that have one - Integrated map for custom locations - Sun/Moon rise and set times - Sun/Moon azimuth and elevation - Moon phase - Magnetic declination - Results shown graphically or on a list - Location list of major world cities - Manually create and save a list of custom locations - GPS support - Calculate sun/moon position for today or any date in the future - Works with current location or anywhere in the world "Focalware offers unrivaled accuracy and ease of use to photographers shooting outdoors. To say I use it a couple of times a day is an understatement!" --Moose Peterson, Wildlife Photographer "A very slick little app, and a landscape photographer's new best friend." --Scott Kelby, Editor of Photoshop User Magazine "As a nature photographer who spends much of my time photographing locations with no cell or wifi coverage, Focalware is essential to my ability to plot and plan for the sun and moon’s arrival and departure, no matter where I am." --Gary Hart, EloquentImages.com Rated one of the 10 most useful iPhone Apps for Photographers by Pop Photo.
Understudy
This app transforms a spare iPhone into a customizable prop phone for film and video production. Create realistic lock screens, scripted message conversations, and on-cue incoming calls. It's designed to keep the screen awake during long takes, ensuring seamless filming.
- Customizable lock screen
- Scripted message conversations
- Triggered incoming calls/texts
- Short-form video feed
- Screen stays awake
- Built-in editor
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Understudy turns a spare iPhone into a camera-ready prop phone for film and video production. Stage every screen your scene needs: a lock screen with custom wallpaper and carrier name, message conversations you script yourself, incoming calls that ring on cue, and a scrolling short-video feed. BUILT FOR SET • Lock screen with custom wallpaper, carrier name, and live clock • Scripted message threads with custom contacts and photos • Trigger an incoming call or text right from the phone • Short-form video feed with your own footage, captions, and counts • Screen stays awake through long takes YOUR CONTENT, YOUR TIMING Set up contacts, conversations, and videos in the built-in editor (double-tap anywhere with two fingers), then hand the phone to your actor and roll camera. Understudy displays fictional content for production use only. It sends no real messages, places no real calls, and is not affiliated with Apple.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Focalware at none against Understudy's 1. Focalware also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Understudy's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Understudy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Focalware asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Focalware against 5.0 for Understudy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Focalware has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Focalware's written reviews are positive against 100% of Understudy's.
Focalware ships an update every 12 months, Understudy weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | Focalware | Understudy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 73.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Warner Photography, Inc. | Ginsberg AI LLC |
Customer experience
Focalware
Understudy
In-app purchases
Focalware
No in-app purchases
Understudy
- Full Access$29.99









