# Alien Sky vs Distressed FX

The clearest difference is price: Alien Sky at $4.99 against Distressed FX's $19.99. Alien Sky also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 13) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). Distressed FX's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 132) and chart position (#190 vs unranked). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Alien Sky costs $4.99 and Distressed FX $19.99 up front. Distressed FX sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Alien Sky asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Alien Sky against 4.8 for Distressed FX. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Distressed FX has 1.2K ratings behind it against 132, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Alien Sky's written reviews are positive against 72% of Distressed FX's.

Alien Sky ships an update every 5 weeks, Distressed FX every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alien Sky | Distressed FX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (132 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-sky-space-camera/id519529254/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distressed-fx-plus/id1441905750/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 132 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.1% of reviews** | 72.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#190** |
| Size | 87 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Grote](https://appshunter.io/developer/338517204) | [We Are Here](https://appshunter.io/developer/585702634) |

## What reviewers say

### Alien Sky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-sky-space-camera/id519529254)

Transform ordinary photos into futuristic space scenes. Add planets, galaxies, stars, and lens flares to create otherworldly images. Customize your sky and give your photos a unique sci-fi feel.

**Highlights:** Space objects (planets, galaxies, moons), Bright suns and distant stars, Futuristic lens flares, Sky customization, Sci-fi photo effects

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Distressed FX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distressed-fx-plus/id1441905750)

**Currently charting:** #190 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beyond Skies | Free | one-time |
| The Heavens | Free | one-time |
| Bokeh Illusions | Free | one-time |
| The Lights | Free | one-time |
| Artist Beginnings | Free | one-time |
| Box of colors | Free | one-time |
| Old World Gallery | Free | one-time |
| Obscure Textures | Free | one-time |
| Painterly Grunge | Free | one-time |
| Sky Beauty | Free | one-time |
| The Neutrals | Free | one-time |
| Vintage Collection | Free | one-time |
| Atmospheric Light | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alien Sky free?

Alien Sky costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Distressed FX free?

Distressed FX costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Alien Sky or Distressed FX?

Distressed FX is rated higher. Alien Sky averages 4.7 out of 5 from 132 ratings, while Distressed FX averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Alien Sky or Distressed FX have ads?

Neither Alien Sky nor Distressed FX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alien Sky or Distressed FX?

Alien Sky ships an update every 5 weeks, and Distressed FX every 3 months. Most recently, Alien Sky was updated on October 23, 2026 and Distressed FX on October 22, 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.*