Comparison

Color Splash vs Distressed FX

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Color Splash

Transform your photos by selectively applying color to black and white images. This app uses an intuitive brush interface to highlight specific areas, creating dramatic and eye-catching visuals. Easily edit details with zoom and multiple brush options.

Highlights
  • Selective colorization
  • Black and white conversion
  • Intuitive brush interface
  • Zoom for detail work
  • Multiple brush types
  • Undo functionality
  • Alternative view mode
Read full description

Color Splash lets you give photos a dramatic look by converting them to black and white, while keeping your chosen details in color. This effect draws the viewers' attention to the colored areas, creating striking images. The intuitive and responsive multi-touch user interface makes Color Splash amazingly easy and fun to use. Use your finger as a brush to "paint" sections of your image black and white, or to bring back the original color. Zooming in and out using the two-finger pinching gesture allows you to work on details with pixel-accuracy. Features: - Short tutorial videos explain the use of all features and will have you editing your images in minutes. - Choose photos to edit from your iPhone photo library or from Dropbox or Flickr. - Save multiple sessions to resume your work later. - Email your creations to friends, share them on Flickr or save them to your Dropbox. - Undo any number of accidental brush strokes. - An alternative view mode highlights the regions that will remain in color with a red tint. This makes it easier to see and adjust the boundaries between color and black & white regions. - Choose from 4 different brushes (hard or soft edged, opaque or transparent) and adjust the brush size. - Hide the toolbars in full screen mode.

About

Distressed FX

Transform ordinary photos into unique works of art with a vast collection of textures and overlays. This app offers exclusive access to all current and future filters and effects for a single payment, making photo editing accessible and creative.

Highlights
  • Access to all current and future filters
  • Exclusive new effects and features
  • Wide range of textured images and overlays
  • Transform mundane photos into art
  • Ideal for still life and landscape photography
Features
Read full description

Distressed FX Plus is a special edition of the highly acclaimed original. For a small single payment, you will get access to all current and future filters, as well as exclusive access to all new effects and features ahead of release on the original app. This is an extraordinary opportunity to harness all the amazing effects from Distressed FX. If you are ready to take your photos to the next level, this is the ideal investment at a bargain price. Creating gorgeous artwork from your photos has never been easier. With Distressed FX, simply take a photo and choose from a wide range of textured images and overlays. Transform even the most mundane photo into a work of art. See our hashtag #distressedFX on Instagram to see 100k+ examples! ** Featured by Mac Format and Black + White Photography Magazine Join us at: www.facebook.com/DistressedFX www.instagram.com/distressedfxapp/ • Particularly suited to still life and landscape photography - this app will perfectly compliment your existing collection of photo apps. Distressed FX is powered by the textures of Cheryl Tarrant, a texture artist from Tennessee. Her popular and unique style is now available in your pocket, wherever you go. • Follow Cheryl on Instagram http://instagram.com/distressedfxapp • Be our friend on Facebook www.facebook.com/DistressedFX • Follow us on Twitter : @distressedfx See examples of the Cheryl's distinctive work here: www.flickr.com/photos/jewellofdistressed/ ** Find out more about Distressed Textures at www.distressedfx.com & www.distressedtextures.com Distressed FX (tm) is a trademark of Cheryl Tarrant in the United States of America.

Screenshots

Color Splash4 screens
Distressed FX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Color Splash at $1.99 against Distressed FX's $19.99. Color Splash also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (88% vs 72%). On rating, ads, chart position 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Color Splash costs $1.99 and Distressed FX $19.99 up front. Distressed FX sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Color Splash asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Color Splash against 4.8 for Distressed FX. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Color Splash has 6.5K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Color Splash's written reviews are positive against 72% of Distressed FX's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Color Splash ships an update every 5 weeks, Distressed FX every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Color Splash versus Distressed FX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColor SplashDistressed FX
Price$1.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.9 (6.5K ratings) — better4.8 (1.2K ratings)
Positive reviews88.3% of reviews — better72.3% of reviews
Number of ratings6.5K — better1.2K
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank#94 — better#105
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPocket Pixels Inc.We Are Here

Customer experience

Color Splash

All ratings6,462 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.5%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews1,048 reviews
Positive88.3%
Neutral3.3%
Negative8.4%

Distressed FX

All ratings1,234 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral5.9%
Negative21.8%

User reviews

Color Splash

From 6.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💎 High-quality results
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🎨 Versatile editing capabilities
  • 🕰️ Saves time compared to manual editing
  • 🔍 Precise control with zoom feature

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs or crashes
  • 🖌️ Desire for more precise selection tools
  • 🎨 Limited color customization options
  • 📱 Compatibility issues with newer devices
  • 💰 Paid app, some users want free version

Distressed FX

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Creative and artistic photo editing
  • 🎨 Excellent texture and overlay options
  • 💡 Customizable layers and blending modes
  • 🎨 Ability to create unique digital art

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with new iOS versions
  • 🐛 Crashing and download errors
  • 🐛 Inability to restore previous purchases
  • 🤔 Lack of clear instructions and tutorials

Bugs and requests

Color Splash

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • Unexpected color mixing when using red overlay

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to change original colors
  • Implement a pen/brush tool for finer control
  • Introduce more editing options like filters, effects
  • Develop an iPad-specific version of the app
  • Provide a free version with limited features

Distressed FX

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to download or load certain textures/overlays
  • App crashing when opening photos
  • Saving edited photos at lower resolutions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Masking and selective editing tools
  • Zoom and precise control for editing
  • Ability to use app on Mac devices
  • Improved customer support and communication

In-app purchases

None

Color Splash

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Distressed FX

One-time10
  • Beyond SkiesFree
  • The HeavensFree
  • Bokeh IllusionsFree
Show 7 more
  • The LightsFree
  • Box of colorsFree
  • Old World GalleryFree
  • Painterly GrungeFree
  • The NeutralsFree
  • Vintage CollectionFree
  • Atmospheric LightFree

Questions

Is Color Splash free?
Color Splash costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Distressed FX free?
Distressed FX costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Color Splash or Distressed FX?
Color Splash is rated higher. Color Splash averages 4.9 out of 5 from 6.5K ratings, while Distressed FX averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Color Splash or Distressed FX have ads?
Neither Color Splash nor Distressed FX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Color Splash or Distressed FX?
Color Splash ships an update every 5 weeks, and Distressed FX every 3 months. Most recently, Color Splash was updated on November 9, 2026 and Distressed FX on November 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, Color Splash or Distressed FX?
Color Splash currently peaks at #94 in the App Store charts, and Distressed FX at #105. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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