Comparison

CamX vs Elgato Capture

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CamX

Transform your iPad into a portable monitor or capture device. Streamline content creation and gaming with high-quality recording and customizable settings. Ideal for on-the-go productivity and entertainment.

Highlights
  • Portable display for iPad
  • High-quality video recording
  • Gaming mode with picture settings
  • Videography mode with histograms
  • User-friendly interface
  • Internal capture for other devices
Read full description

CamX turns your iPhone into a professional camera and your iPad into a portable capture monitor. On iPhone, CamX delivers full manual camera controls, real-time video effects, and professional monitoring tools. On iPad, simply connect a USB capture card to transform it into a portable display for gaming, streaming, or filmmaking. One powerful tool for creators, gamers, and filmmakers. 【Real-Time Video Effects (20+)】 • Gaming-optimized effects Recreate classic arcade displays with CRT scanlines, screen curvature, shadow masks, retro pixel styles, and LCD grids • Analog signal effects VHS, NTSC composite, and dithering • AI upscaling Enhance low-resolution sources with sharper visuals • Creative effects Night vision, film grain, and chromatic aberration • VFX Recording Bake effects directly into recorded videos and photos • VFX Profiles Save and switch between custom presets instantly 【Professional Monitoring】 • GPU-accelerated histogram RGB, Luma, and RGB Parade modes • Video scopes Waveform, RGB waveform, and vectorscope • Focus and exposure tools Focus peaking, zebra stripes, and false color • LUT preview Real-time preview with custom .cube LUT import • Picture profiles Adjust contrast, saturation, and color temperature 【Advanced Camera Controls】 • Manual exposure, white balance, and lens adjustments • High-quality recording Custom resolution, frame rate, and codec settings • Composition guides Aspect ratio masks (2.39:1, 2:1, 1.85:1, 4:3, 1:1, 9:16) • Guide colors and center marker 【Two Display Modes】 Gaming Mode Minimal overlay with low latency, optimized for capture cards. Videography Mode Full monitoring tools including histogram, scopes, and picture adjustments. 【More Features】 • AirPlay and external display support Clean feed mode with HDMI / USB-C output • Media browser Manage photos and videos directly in the app • Screen lock Prevent accidental touches during recording 【CamX Pro】 Unlock the full studio experience with VFX effects, advanced monitoring tools, custom skins, and more. Everything you already love about CamX remains free. 【Device Compatibility】 • Built-in camera capture works on all supported devices, including iPhone • UVC capture is supported on iPad models with USB-C ports Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Elgato Capture

Record and stream high-quality video from your Elgato capture device directly to your iPad. Control video and audio settings, capture footage, and monitor your feed on the go. Perfect for content creators and gamers who need a portable setup.

Highlights
  • Connect Elgato capture cards and cameras to iPad
  • Customizable video resolution and frame rate
  • Flexible audio input and output control
  • Record footage and take screenshots
  • Store recordings on iPad or external storage
  • Use iPad as a full-screen monitor
Read full description

Your Elgato capture card or camera now works with iPad!  Meeting up? Throw your iPad and capture card into your bag. Traveling? Leave your laptop at home. Now you have an ultra-compact yet powerful capture setup that can go anywhere whether you're an aspiring streamer, a content creator, or just want to relive your gaming moments. Connect one of these Elgato devices to your setup and unlock a world of possibilities: - HD60 X: Experience crisp, high-quality game capture with ease. - HD60 S+: Elevate your streaming game with seamless, low-latency recording. - Cam Link 4K: Unleash the potential of 4K video recording. - Facecam and Facecam Pro: Perfect for vlogging – try recording with the integrated iPad microphone or connect an Elgato Wave:3. With Capture, you have complete control over your recording experience: - Custom Video Settings: Choose your preferred video input format, including resolution and frame rate, to ensure your content looks exactly the way you want it. - Audio Management: Choose your preferred audio input from your capture device, or the iPad’s integrated front microphone. Toggle passing the audio to the speakers on and off as needed. An integrated audio meter ensures your audio setup is always on point. - Capture and Store: Record your gaming sessions, take screenshots, and effortlessly store them in your preferred location – Photo Library, Internal Storage, or even External Storage like a USB SSD or SD card. - iPad Monitoring: Utilize your iPad as a dedicated full-screen monitor, so you can game on-the-go. Elevate your content and share your gaming journey with the world like never before. Download Capture today and start capturing your epic moments with your Elgato devices! Compatibility: Works on iPads with native USB-C connector, i.e. iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch, iPad (10th generation and later), iPad Air (4th generation and later), and iPad mini (6th generation and later). Does not work on iPads with Lightning connector.

Screenshots

CamX3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Elgato Capture at none against CamX's 4. CamX's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 33%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CamX sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. Elgato Capture asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for CamX against 4.5 for Elgato Capture. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 296 and 320 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of CamX's written reviews are positive against 33% of Elgato Capture's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CamX ships an update every 3 weeks, Elgato Capture every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
CamX versus Elgato Capture: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCamXElgato Capture
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (296 ratings)4.5 (320 ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.2% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings296320 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTouchbits Inc.Corsair Memory, Inc.

Customer experience

CamX

All ratings276 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral3.6%
Negative13.0%
Written reviews129 reviews
Positive68.2%
Neutral10.9%
Negative20.9%

Elgato Capture

All ratings169 ratings
Positive80.5%
Neutral3.0%
Negative16.6%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral3.7%
Negative63.0%

Bugs and requests

CamX

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Elgato Capture

Reported bugs

33 issues
  • App freezes and is unresponsive during calls
  • No sound from console unless call is ended
  • App stopped working with Neo
  • No signal with new iPad 11th gen
  • App crashes with OSStatus error -12743
Show 28 more
  • Recording at 720p takes longer to crash than 1080p
  • Error 12743 when recording
  • Cannot get app to work with iPad
  • App is unstable
  • Cannot record higher resolution than 1080p
  • Software does not detect HD60 S+
  • Does not work with iPad 10th generation
  • Never got a signal with USB-C adapters
  • Does not work on anything
  • Unreliable and loses work
  • Crashing with OSStatus error
  • Saving to Photos, iCloud Drive, or On My iPad crashes
  • Does not work with Xbox Series S (no HDMI IN)
  • Error when recording more than two seconds
  • No audio on recordings
  • Pass-through audio not working
  • Audio input setting not respected
  • 4K60 S+ not compatible
  • App crashes when microphone is in use on other apps
  • Does not recognize any devices
  • HD60 S is not compatible
  • Not stable as an output audio device
  • Ableton Live 11 Suite crashes when recording
  • Dark mode is broken on iPad Mini 6
  • Frame rate under 20fps with Camlink 4k
  • No audio passthrough
  • Setting to 4K shows blank screen with lower resolution input
  • Input needs to be connected and disconnected multiple times

Requested features

6 requests
  • Scale to fit image option
  • Record microphone and Elgato simultaneously
  • Add Chat Link Pro settings to app
  • Record HDR on iPad
  • Reset recording destination automatically
Show 1 more
  • Audio passthrough to speakers/headphones

In-app purchases

4 purchases

CamX

Subscriptions1
  • CamX Pro$2.991 Year
One-time3
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Nice Tip$4.99
  • Big Tip$9.99
None

Elgato Capture

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CamX free?
CamX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Elgato Capture free?
Elgato Capture is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CamX or Elgato Capture?
Elgato Capture is rated higher. CamX averages 4.4 out of 5 from 296 ratings, while Elgato Capture averages 4.5 from 320 ratings.
Do CamX or Elgato Capture have ads?
Neither CamX nor Elgato Capture shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CamX or Elgato Capture?
CamX ships an update every 3 weeks, and Elgato Capture every 3 months. Most recently, CamX was updated on November 7, 2026 and Elgato Capture on November 7, 2026.

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