NIR Color vs Pixel Shape
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NIR Color
Transform ordinary photos into surreal, ethereal landscapes with near-infrared technology and color filters. This app adds unique hues and dramatic contrast, making everyday objects appear otherworldly. Explore a different light and create magical, mysterious atmospheres in your images.
- Near infrared technology
- Infrared color filters
- Surreal and ethereal effects
- Dramatic contrast adjustments
- Preset library
- Custom preset saving
- Hi-Res image support
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Photography is the art of capturing light. Infrared photography, on the other hand, is the art of capturing invisible light. If your looking for something new and unique to add to your photography arsenal then you came to the right place NIR Color is truly beautiful, surreal and will transform ordinary landscapes into something magical and ethereal. NIR Color uses “near infrared” light technology, along with infrared “color” filters to add violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red colors, and all their combinations back into your image. The combination creates stunning imagery with otherworldly and mysteriously atmospheres. When using “NIR” everyday objects differ sharply from those of visible light. A blue sky can sometimes appear very dark, while foliage often turns light to create an amazing and chilling contrast. Not only will the contrast make your photo ‘pop’, it will also transform the original color to ones that are dreamy and surreal using our infrared “color” filters. The decision is in your hands to tone down the color to ones that are classy, clean, and contrasted. Or boost them to a dramatic color of your choosing taking your infrared photography to a completely different level. With NIR Color you can quickly see how incredibly beautiful the world can be in a different light. The world as seen using NIR Color is at once familiar and strange, using hues that are entirely different than those we actually see in reality. The eerie but seductive effects that NIR photographs bring to the table consist mostly of landscape shots, but on occasion portraits can be completely converted from what we recognize as normal into ones where skin tones turn pale and cold and eyes that go dark. This may lead you to shift gears from a normal pose into something that is wildly terrestrial. So give NIR Color a try and transcend your photo into a world where you and your viewer will be offered a chance to encounter a deeper connection to the story behind your photograph. NIR Color … • Works best on colorful landscape images • “Near Infrared” technology turns blue-sky dark and foliage light to make your image ‘pop’ • Infrared “Color” filters add violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red colors, and all their combinations back into the image to create a dreamy and surreal appearance. • Works with Hi-Res images and saves Hi-Res for top-quality results • Gets you started fast with a variety of presets • Creates personal-favorite custom presets using the "Save Preset" menu • Has the addictive JixiPix Randomizer – so much fun! • Easy-to-use slider controls to adjust light, contrast and texture just how you want it • Superfast preview mode to immediately see edit results, with large image rendered at save • You can save to the photo roll and/or email or post to Facebook. Share your masterpieces! •Superior customer support and updates – we're committed to your long-term satisfaction
Pixel Shape
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Use words or shapes to remake a picture. Bored of zero-dimensional pixels, replace them with words or shapes that you choose or create your own shapes to remake your pictures with them. Non-Latin characters allowed
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Pixel Shape at Free against NIR Color's $2.99. Pixel Shape also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 10 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). NIR Color's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On 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
Pixel Shape is free to download; NIR Color costs $2.99 up front. Pixel Shape sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. NIR Color asks for nothing beyond the download.
NIR Color ships an update every 10 months, Pixel Shape every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 29, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NIR Color | Pixel Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (21 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 82.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 21 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 118 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | JixiPix Software | Fluocode |
In-app purchases
NIR Color
No in-app purchases
Pixel Shape
- Long text and Fonts$4.99
- Shape Editor$4.99









