AstroShader vs PhiFrame
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AstroShader
Capture, stack, and edit stunning astrophotography directly on your mobile device. This app streamlines the process by aligning and stacking images live during capture, eliminating the need for external software. Fine-tune your celestial images with a comprehensive suite of editing tools.
- Live image alignment and stacking
- Manual focus control
- Adjustable exposure, ISO, and white balance
- Intervalometer for timed captures
- Advanced image editing tools
- Save in multiple formats including TIFF
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One-time purchase. No subscription. AstroShader is an astrophotography app for capturing, stacking and editing. All you need is a stand, tripod, telescope or rock (to lean your phone on). AstroShader lets you align and stack live during the image capture process. You can also align and stack images from you Photos library. No need to transfer images to a computer to align and stack them separately (but there is a built in intervalometer if you need it). To take an image follow these steps: • Use a stand, tripod, telescope mount (or lean your iPhone on a rock). • Zoom in on stars and set focus manually, or use autofocus. • Set the exposure time, ISO and white balance, or leave to auto-exposure. • Set the number of exposures to be automatically aligned and stacked. • Calibrate your images from the edit tools. • After the capture is complete you can edit and save your image—including as 16bit TIFF. • You can open images directly to use the edit tools in AstroShader - rather following a new image capture. Image capture options include: • Number of exposures to be aligned and stacked • Exposure time • ISO • White balance • Camera type • Countdown timer • Manual focus • Pause the capture to reposition iPhone or telescope Edit options include: • Stretch image • Background extraction • Dynamic background extraction (DBE) • x5 Histogram curves for fine tonal adjustment • x3 sharpen layers each with radius and intensity with layer blending rather than chaining • Brightness (low light enhancement) • Saturation • Black point • Temperature • Tint • Save format options; HEIF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF
PhiFrame
This camera app helps you compose better photos with visual guides like the rule of thirds and golden ratio. It offers precise controls and full-quality capture, allowing you to burn guides into your images or keep them visual.
- Composition guides (rule of thirds, golden ratio, etc.)
- Precision horizon level with haptic lock
- Tap to focus, pinch to zoom
- Full-quality capture with ProRAW support
- Option to burn guides into photos
- 100% private, photos stay on device
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PhiFrame is a camera built for one thing: composition. Frame every shot against classic guides — rule of thirds, golden ratio, Fibonacci spiral, golden triangles, diagonals, and a draggable vanishing point — drawn live on your viewfinder and aligned exactly to the captured photo. • Precision horizon level with haptic lock • Tap to focus, pinch to zoom, 4:3 / 16:9 / 1:1 • Full-quality capture, ProRAW (DNG) support • Guides are visual only — or burn them in, your choice • Pay once, own it forever. No subscription, no account • 100% private: your photos never leave your device PhiFrame is for anyone who wants to stop cropping their way to good composition and start shooting it: photographers learning the classics, and pros who want a clean, honest viewfinder. Privacy Policy: https://whit3hawks.com/apps/phiframe/privacy Terms of Use: https://whit3hawks.com/apps/phiframe/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PhiFrame at 5.0 against AstroShader's 4.3. PhiFrame also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). AstroShader's advantage is ratings volume (117 vs 2) and chart position (#8 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and 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
AstroShader costs $1.99 and PhiFrame $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PhiFrame holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AstroShader has 117 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of AstroShader's written reviews are positive against 100% of PhiFrame's.
AstroShader ships an update every 3 weeks, PhiFrame daily. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.
| Parameter | AstroShader | PhiFrame |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (117 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 117 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #8 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AstroShader Limited | Sharif Khaleel |
Customer experience
AstroShader
PhiFrame
In-app purchases
AstroShader
No in-app purchases
PhiFrame
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AstroShader free?
Is PhiFrame free?
Which has better reviews, AstroShader or PhiFrame?
Do AstroShader or PhiFrame have ads?
Which is updated more often, AstroShader or PhiFrame?
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