# LensLight Visual Effects vs Add Astra

The clearest difference is price: Add Astra at Free against LensLight Visual Effects's $4.99. Add Astra also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). LensLight Visual Effects's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (134 vs 3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Add Astra is free to download; LensLight Visual Effects costs $4.99 up front. Add Astra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. LensLight Visual Effects asks for nothing beyond the download.

Add Astra holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LensLight Visual Effects has 134 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of LensLight Visual Effects's written reviews are positive against 100% of Add Astra's.

LensLight Visual Effects ships an update every 2 months, Add Astra every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LensLight Visual Effects | Add Astra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (134 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lenslight-visual-effects/id419518259/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/add-astra/id6757625634/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **134** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 76.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 81 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Grote](https://appshunter.io/developer/338517204) | [APParent LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867945954) |

## What reviewers say

### LensLight Visual Effects

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lenslight-visual-effects/id419518259)

Enhance your photos with a vast array of interactive lighting effects. This app offers dynamic Bokeh, Lens Flares, Light Leaks, Spotlights, and Rainbow Effects, all rendered in real-time with a powerful Optics Engine. Achieve professional-looking results with dynamic light manipulation.

**Highlights:** Interactive lighting effects, Bokeh, Lens Flares, Light Leaks, Spotlights and Rainbow Effects, Real-time Optics Engine rendering, Dynamic light manipulation, Streaks, glares, and edge bloom

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Add Astra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/add-astra/id6757625634)

Overlay accurate star positions onto your photos using image metadata and machine learning. The app intelligently identifies the sky to ensure stars are placed realistically, avoiding unwanted artifacts.

**Highlights:** Accurate star positioning, Uses Yale Bright Star Catalog, Extracts image metadata, Machine learning sky detection, Realistic star overlays

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Credits a Month + No Ads | $10.99 | per month |
| One Credit | $0.29 | one-time |
| Five Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ten Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits | $7.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LensLight Visual Effects free?

LensLight Visual Effects costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Add Astra free?

Add Astra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, LensLight Visual Effects or Add Astra?

Add Astra is rated higher. LensLight Visual Effects averages 4.4 out of 5 from 134 ratings, while Add Astra averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do LensLight Visual Effects or Add Astra have ads?

Neither LensLight Visual Effects nor Add Astra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LensLight Visual Effects or Add Astra?

LensLight Visual Effects ships an update every 2 months, and Add Astra every 2 days. Most recently, LensLight Visual Effects was updated on October 23, 2026 and Add Astra on October 6, 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.*
