bitwave vs MARE Cam
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
bitwave
This app offers real-time experimental photo and video effects using visual systems like ASCII, dithering, and computer vision. Users can adjust presets, create custom ones, and use image regions to influence visual processing.
- Real-time visual camera effects
- ASCII, dither, halftone, stipple processing
- Computer Vision masks and object-based effects
- Live photo and video capture
- Import and edit existing media
- Custom preset creation
- Video export and sharing
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Bitwave is a art-tech camera for making experimental photos and videos in real time. Explore visual systems built around ASCII, dithering, halftone, stippling, signal processing, pixelation, color manipulation and Computer Vision. Point the camera, choose a preset and reshape the image live. Bitwave is designed less like a traditional filter app and more like a visual instrument for experimentation. FEATURES • Realtime visual camera effects • ASCII, dither, halftone, stipple, signal and glitch-inspired processing • Computer Vision masks and object-based effects • Live photo and video capture • Import and edit existing photos and videos • LUTs and color adjustments • Effect-specific controls • Save modified effects as custom presets • Metal-powered realtime rendering • Video export and sharing COMPUTER VISION Use people, faces, objects and image regions as part of the visual processing itself. Computer Vision can reshape where and how an effect appears instead of simply placing a filter over the image. CUSTOM PRESETS Adjust an effect, change its color treatment, CV mode and parameters, then save the result as your own preset for instant reuse. MADE FOR EXPERIMENTATION Bitwave is built for visual artists, musicians, VJs, photographers, creative coders and anyone interested in experimental digital imagery. There is no required workflow. Open the camera, choose a visual system, modify it and see where the image goes. Bitwave Pro unlocks unlimited photo capture, live video recording and video export. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
MARE Cam
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MARE Cam turns your iPhone camera into a live video-effects instrument. Shoot photos and videos with analog textures, feedback and digital distortion, and shape the image as you capture it. ANALOG Explore color bleed, signal noise, scanlines, image echoes and CRT glow. Choose a look and adjust Drive, Feedback 1, Feedback 2 and Threshold while the camera keeps running. With Pro, edit Analog looks or create and save your own. LAB Try eight digital effects, each with its own Performance controls: Datamosh, Pixel Sort, Feedback, Contrast, Voronoi, Edge, Dilate and Bit Crush. Tap Hold in Datamosh to capture the current colors and start the effect. Tap a subject in Feedback to focus and track it. Shape Glass distortion in Voronoi, stretch color with Pixel Sort, or reduce the image to stepped color levels with Bit Crush. PLAY LIVE Performance controls open when you launch the app or select a filter. Use the knobs to adjust the image, and enable optional audio reaction to respond to sound. Tap the camera to focus, then swipe up or down to adjust exposure. Pinch to zoom and double-tap to switch front and back cameras when you are not recording. CAPTURE AND SHARE Capture photos or videos in portrait, landscape or square framing. Record sound with microphone access enabled. Browse captures in the app gallery, mark favorites and share your work. Choose whether to save captures automatically to Photos. Instagram-ready sharing prepares a copy while preserving the original. START FREE Contour fold, Tape and Analog Feedback, their Performance controls, photo and video capture, camera controls and the gallery are included for free. MARE PRO Pro unlocks the full Analog and Lab collections, the Analog look editor and unlimited personal Analog looks. Choose an annual subscription or a one-time purchase. Both unlock the same Pro features. Updates are included while your annual subscription is active, or with your one-time purchase. Prices are displayed in the app for your App Store region. The annual plan renews automatically until canceled through your Apple account. Buying the one-time option does not cancel an existing subscription. Restore purchases is available in Settings. ON YOUR IPHONE Camera effects run on your device. Captures and personal looks are stored locally. MARE Cam does not upload your footage or collect advertising or analytics data. Sharing happens when you choose it through the iOS share sheet. Privacy policy: https://mare-camera-support.elven-hare-1738.chatgpt.site/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: MARE Cam at every 4 days against bitwave's every 5 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. bitwave sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and MARE Cam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
bitwave ships an update every 5 weeks, MARE Cam every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | bitwave | MARE Cam |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 156 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Demian Nezhdanov | Fan leong Hung |
In-app purchases
bitwave
- bitwave PRO WEEKLY$0.997 Days
- Optional tip to support Bitwave.$0.99
- Optional tip to support Bitwave.$5.99
- PRO lifetime$5.99
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- Optional tip to support Bitwave.$9.99
MARE Cam
- MARE Pro Yearly$9.991 Year
- MARE Pro One-time$22.99








