# Gloss Studio vs Memo

The clearest difference is monetization model: Memo at free with in-app purchases against Gloss Studio's subscription. Memo also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (896 vs 71). Gloss Studio's advantage is review sentiment (95% vs 76%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gloss Studio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Memo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Gloss Studio against 4.7 for Memo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Memo has 896 ratings behind it against 71, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of Gloss Studio's written reviews are positive against 76% of Memo's.

Gloss Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, Memo every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gloss Studio | Memo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (71 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gloss-studio/id6448875676/reviews)** | [4.7 (896 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memo-vintage-camera/id6504227647/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 71 | **896** |
| Positive reviews | **94.9% of reviews** | 76.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 458 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gloss Studio LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816725721) | [SCRL AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1131060116) |

## What reviewers say

### Gloss Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gloss-studio/id6448875676)

This app offers a digital darkroom for film emulation with cult favorite film-inspired presets for photos and videos. It provides professional editing tools and batch editing capabilities to perfect your content with a nostalgic film aesthetic.

**Highlights:** Film-inspired presets, Digital darkroom for film emulation, Professional editing adjustments, Real film grain effect, Batch editing for photos and videos, Light leaks & dust effects

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| All Access Yearly | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Aesthetic and unique filters
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🎨 Great for social media content
- 💡 Innovative editing features (Blur, Grain, HSL)
- 🚀 Replaces other editing apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free options
- 💸 Subscription is expensive
- 🚫 No free trial for premium
- 🤔 Hard to justify subscription for casual users

**Reported bugs**

- Unresponsive app
- Settings app not functional
- Locked features without clear subscription option

**Requested features**

- More free options/presets
- Grit options
- More dark room options
- Trash bin or recently deleted folder


### Memo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memo-vintage-camera/id6504227647)

Emulate the look of classic analog cameras with realistic film grain, colors, and aberrations. Capture new photos or import existing ones to apply vintage filters and customize camera settings for a unique retro aesthetic.

**Highlights:** Realistic film photography emulation, Vintage camera effects, In-app photo capture, Import and edit photos, Customizable camera settings, Film grain and color emulation

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Memo Gold | $29.99 | per year |
| Memo Gold | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great camera app
- 💡 Vintage/nostalgic filters
- 🚀 Excellent photo quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when loading photos
- 🔒 Link sharing to unlock cameras doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- Losing photo metadata when converting images
- Inability to unlock additional cameras

**Requested features**

- Save photos to camera roll
- One-time purchase option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gloss Studio free?

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

### Is Memo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Gloss Studio or Memo?

Gloss Studio is rated higher. Gloss Studio averages 4.8 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while Memo averages 4.7 from 896 ratings.

### Do Gloss Studio or Memo have ads?

Neither Gloss Studio nor Memo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gloss Studio or Memo?

Gloss Studio ships an update every 2 weeks, and Memo every 3 days. Most recently, Gloss Studio was updated on October 25, 2026 and Memo on October 25, 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.*