# SphereLens vs Obscura

The clearest difference is rating: Obscura at 4.1 against SphereLens's 3.5. Obscura also leads on ratings volume (277 vs 2). SphereLens's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (75% vs 52%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Obscura sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days. SphereLens asks for nothing beyond the download.

Obscura holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Obscura has 277 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of SphereLens's written reviews are positive against 52% of Obscura's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SphereLens ships an update every 3 weeks, Obscura every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SphereLens | Obscura |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spherelens/id530098078/reviews) | **[4.1 (277 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obscura-pro-camera/id1579306989/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **277** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 52.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 12 MB | 174 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.1** | 18 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Salamander Factory Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/325906085) | [Ben McCarthy](https://appshunter.io/developer/893264216) |

## What reviewers say

### SphereLens

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spherelens/id530098078)

Transform your photos into unique spherical lens effects. Emphasize specific parts of your image by aligning them within a guiding circle. Adjust the sphere size and save your creations in high resolution.

**Highlights:** Spherical lens photo processing, On-screen camera guide, Adjustable sphere size, High-resolution saving, Direct Twitter sharing, Customizable settings

**In-app purchases:** none


### Obscura

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obscura-pro-camera/id1579306989)

This camera app offers advanced manual controls for photography and videography. It provides a range of capture formats, live filters, and viewing aids to enhance your creative process. An optional subscription unlocks premium features.

**Highlights:** Manual exposure, focus, and white balance controls, RAW, ProRAW, HEIC, and JPEG capture formats, Live filters and custom preset creation, Grid, histogram, and focus peaking view aids, Video and Live Photo recording, Integrated photo library browsing and editing

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Obscura Ultra - Weekly | $1.49 | per 7 days |
| Obscura Ultra - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Obscura Ultra | $24.99 | per year |
| Obscura Ultra Upgrade | $24.99 | per year |
| Obscura Ultra - One Time | $74.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful manual controls
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 🎨 Customizable presets and filters
- 💡 Unique camera gestures and UI
- 🎥 Supports video recording

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based model
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Unintuitive controls and settings
- 🤷‍♂️ Lack of support for newer iPhone lenses

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to use Pro Raw mode
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between lenses
- Manual settings randomly resetting
- Photos not saving properly
- Freezing and black screen issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to save custom camera settings
- Variable zoom function in pro mode
- Separate manual control for exposure and ISO
- Dedicated selfie button
- Live audio capture for Live Photos


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SphereLens free?

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

### Is Obscura free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SphereLens or Obscura?

Obscura is rated higher. SphereLens averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Obscura averages 4.1 from 277 ratings.

### Do SphereLens or Obscura have ads?

Neither SphereLens nor Obscura shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SphereLens or Obscura?

SphereLens ships an update every 3 weeks, and Obscura every 2 weeks. Most recently, SphereLens was updated on November 1, 2026 and Obscura on November 3, 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.*