# Shadow Shine vs Artleap by Lightricks

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Shine at none against Artleap by Lightricks's 6. Shadow Shine also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 36%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Artleap by Lightricks's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (19K vs 3). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Artleap by Lightricks sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Shadow Shine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shadow Shine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Artleap by Lightricks has 19K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Shadow Shine's written reviews are positive against 36% of Artleap by Lightricks's.

Shadow Shine ships an update every 3 weeks, Artleap by Lightricks fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow Shine | Artleap by Lightricks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-shine-image-effect/id588208739/reviews)** | [4.7 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artleap-by-lightricks/id1503066339/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **19K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.3% of reviews** | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Dr. Rieger](https://appshunter.io/developer/464916737) | [Lightricks Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/606310584) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow Shine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-shine-image-effect/id588208739)

Enhance your photos by finger painting colored shadows directly onto the image. Easily add artistic shadow effects to draw attention to specific areas. Save and share your creations on social media or via email.

**Highlights:** Finger painting shadow effects, Zoom and erase modes, Use camera or photo album, Adjustable brush size, Social media sharing, Undo function

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Artleap by Lightricks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artleap-by-lightricks/id1503066339)

Effortlessly create stunning visual art with one-tap photo editing. Achieve popular effects like double exposures, dispersions, and surreal sky replacements without prior experience. Explore endless combinations of filters and art styles to express your creativity.

**Highlights:** One-tap photo editing, Double exposure effects, Dispersion effects, Collage creation, Sky replacement, Art filters and combinations

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easily create artistic photos
- 👍 Fun and creative effects
- 💡 Unique and innovative features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall for many features
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔋 App not compatible with latest iOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately on launch
- Purchased content unavailable or unable to download
- Syncing and sharing issues across devices

**Requested features**

- More customization options for overlays and filters
- Ability to save and export edited photos without paying
- Better customer support and communication from developers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow Shine free?

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

### Is Artleap by Lightricks free?

Artleap by Lightricks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shadow Shine or Artleap by Lightricks?

Shadow Shine is rated higher. Shadow Shine averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Artleap by Lightricks averages 4.7 from 19K ratings.

### Do Shadow Shine or Artleap by Lightricks have ads?

Shadow Shine shows ads; Artleap by Lightricks does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow Shine or Artleap by Lightricks?

Shadow Shine ships an update every 3 weeks, and Artleap by Lightricks fortnightly. Most recently, Shadow Shine was updated on October 8, 2026 and Artleap by Lightricks on October 17, 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.*