# Aquarella vs Distressed FX

The clearest difference is price: Aquarella at $4.99 against Distressed FX's $19.99. Aquarella also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (85% vs 72%). Distressed FX's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 117) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On rating, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Aquarella costs $4.99 and Distressed FX $19.99 up front. Distressed FX sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Aquarella asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Aquarella 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 117, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Aquarella's written reviews are positive against 72% of Distressed FX's.

Aquarella ships an update every 4 months, Distressed FX every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aquarella | Distressed FX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aquarella/id593172305/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distressed-fx-plus/id1441905750/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 117 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.4% of reviews** | 72.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#192** |
| Size | 62 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JixiPix, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/380605671) | [We Are Here](https://appshunter.io/developer/585702634) |

## What reviewers say

### Aquarella

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aquarella/id593172305)

Transform your photos into luminous watercolor paintings with realistic "blooms" and "wet edges." Offers professional-quality artistic styles, customizable presets, and easy-to-use controls for detailed adjustments. Share your creations directly to social media.

**Highlights:** Professional aquamedia styles, Randomize Color button, Customizable presets, Adjustable color details, Hi-res image support, Direct social media posting

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Distressed FX

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

**Currently charting:** #192 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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beyond Skies | Free | one-time |
| The Heavens | Free | one-time |
| Bokeh Illusions | Free | one-time |
| The Lights | Free | one-time |
| Box of colors | Free | one-time |
| Old World Gallery | Free | one-time |
| Painterly Grunge | 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 Aquarella free?

Aquarella 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, Aquarella or Distressed FX?

Distressed FX is rated higher. Aquarella averages 4.7 out of 5 from 117 ratings, while Distressed FX averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Aquarella or Distressed FX have ads?

Neither Aquarella nor Distressed FX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aquarella or Distressed FX?

Aquarella ships an update every 4 months, and Distressed FX every 3 months. Most recently, Aquarella was updated on November 10, 2026 and Distressed FX on November 6, 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.*