# Dramatic Black & White vs Formulas

The clearest difference is rating: Dramatic Black & White at 4.8 against Formulas's 4.2. Dramatic Black & White also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 72%) and ratings volume (346 vs 114). Formulas's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Dramatic Black & White costs $2.99 and Formulas $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Dramatic Black & White holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 346 and 114 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Dramatic Black & White's written reviews are positive against 72% of Formulas's.

Dramatic Black & White ships an update every 4 months, Formulas every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dramatic Black & White | Formulas |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (346 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dramatic-black-and-white/id457075492/reviews)** | [4.2 (114 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/formulas-photo-lab-effects-and-custom-frames/id990668324/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **346** | 114 |
| Positive reviews | **84.3% of reviews** | 72.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 15 MB | 262 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JixiPix, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/380605671) | [Tinkerworks Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/503806808) |

## What reviewers say

### Dramatic Black & White

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dramatic-black-and-white/id457075492)

Transform your photos into striking black and white images with adjustable light, contrast, and texture. Explore classic and modern styles, and use unique tools to create artistic compositions. Perfect for photographers seeking to enhance their monochrome vision.

**Highlights:** Black and white photo conversion, Adjustable light and contrast, Texture and shape controls, Ellipse spotlight tool, Classic, infrared, and HD styles, Grain and vignette effects

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for B&W photography
- 🎨 Lots of editing options
- 💻 Works well on desktop
- 🤩 Fantastic results
- 🙌 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔍 Clunky UI/UX
- 🔍 Annoying pop-ups
- 🔍 Slow saving process
- 🔍 Limited features

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on login screen
- Incompatibility with newer devices
- Inability to access camera

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust individual color channels
- Layers and masking tools
- Remembering custom settings
- Improved performance and stability


### Formulas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/formulas-photo-lab-effects-and-custom-frames/id990668324)

Apply unique, multilayered photo effects and custom frames to your images. Features include vintage emulations, artistic styles, and textured finishes. An intuitive interface and one-tap auto adjust make professional editing easy.

**Highlights:** Custom multilayered photo effects, Vintage film emulations, Textured and artistic styles, Dozens of custom frames, One-tap auto adjust tool, Intuitive UI, Photo editing extension

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful and professional-looking filters
- 🎨 Excellent artistic effects for photo editing
- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- ⚡ Fast and efficient editing process
- 🖼️ High-quality results with vintage-style textures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- ⏱️ No updates in 9+ years
- 🚫 Regional restrictions not disclosed
- ❌ Non-functional in-app links and cart system
- 🔗 Broken connection to App Store

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iPhone iOS 26
- Crashes when tapping camera icon
- Cannot save to camera roll
- Crashes frequently during use
- Non-functional icons marked as forbidden

**Requested features**

- Update app for current iOS versions
- Add landscape mode support
- Increase number of filter options
- Separate color and texture controls
- Adjust opacity independently for colors and textures


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dramatic Black & White free?

Dramatic Black & White costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Formulas free?

Formulas costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dramatic Black & White or Formulas?

Dramatic Black & White is rated higher. Dramatic Black & White averages 4.8 out of 5 from 346 ratings, while Formulas averages 4.2 from 114 ratings.

### Do Dramatic Black & White or Formulas have ads?

Neither Dramatic Black & White nor Formulas shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dramatic Black & White or Formulas?

Dramatic Black & White ships an update every 4 months, and Formulas every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dramatic Black & White was updated on November 1, 2026 and Formulas on November 1, 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.*