# Simply HDR vs top 8

The clearest difference is price: top 8 at Free against Simply HDR's $2.99. top 8 also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). Simply HDR's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 10) and chart position (#132 vs unranked). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

top 8 is free to download; Simply HDR costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

top 8 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simply HDR has 1.5K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Simply HDR's written reviews are positive against 100% of top 8's.

Simply HDR ships an update every 2 months, top 8 every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simply HDR | top 8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-hdr/id438948516/reviews) | **[5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-8/id6754903529/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 81.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#132** | — |
| Size | 51 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [JixiPix, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/380605671) | [top 8 LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850883087) |

## What reviewers say

### Simply HDR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-hdr/id438948516)

**Currently charting:** #132 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

Transform ordinary photos into vibrant HDR images with exceptional light and detail. This app offers a powerful HDR engine, presets, and adjustable controls to create stunning, artistic, or realistic HDR effects easily.

**Highlights:** Powerful HDR engine, Adjustable controls for HDR, color, vignette, and grain, HDR presets for one-click results, Save custom presets for consistent workflow, Six HDR styles (Realistic, B&W, Contrasted, etc.), Library of artistic color gradients

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great photo effects
- 💫 Produces stunning results
- 🔥 Addictive app
- 🌟 Excellent HDR app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes/doesn't work
- 🚫 Not true HDR
- 📉 Poor image quality
- 🔍 Limited features
- 🔧 Needs more customization

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 15 update
- Buttons/controls not working properly
- Compatibility issues with newer devices
- Slow save times
- Screen controls get corrupted

**Requested features**

- Ability to merge multiple exposures
- More filters and editing options
- Improved performance and stability
- Rotate image before saving
- Higher export resolution


### top 8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-8/id6754903529)

This social app focuses on connecting you with your closest friends. Share stories and messages with a curated group, reducing the noise of larger social networks. Discover deeper connections by exploring your friends' inner circles.

**Highlights:** Connect with your top 8 closest friends, Share stories with a curated audience, Send direct messages, Reduce social media noise and performative posting, Explore friends' top 8 connections

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simply HDR free?

Simply HDR costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is top 8 free?

top 8 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Simply HDR or top 8?

top 8 is rated higher. Simply HDR averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while top 8 averages 5.0 from 10 ratings.

### Do Simply HDR or top 8 have ads?

Neither Simply HDR nor top 8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simply HDR or top 8?

Simply HDR ships an update every 2 months, and top 8 every 5 days. Most recently, Simply HDR was updated on November 1, 2026 and top 8 on October 28, 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.*