Lucinate vs Muddy Waters
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lucinate
Create algorithmic art, generative visuals, and video synthesis with a modular graphics studio. Explore the intersection of math and graphics for intricate stills, evolving patterns, and interactive shader art. Turn abstract ideas into visual form for creation, play, and performance.
- Algorithmic art creation
- Generative visuals
- Video synthesis
- Modular flexibility
- Parametric shaders
- Custom shader coding
- MIDI and audio modulation
- Beat-synced visuals
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A creative environment for generative art, live visuals, and video synthesis. Blend layers, modulate any parameter with audio, MIDI, and LFOs, sync to the beat, and code your own shaders in the built-in MSL editor. Perform live or record to video. One purchase, no subscription. Use it for shader art, beat-synced visuals, audio/MIDI-reactive VJ sets, image processing, or exploring the aesthetics of algorithms. METAL SHADER ENGINE • Universal app built on Metal for Mac, iPad and iPhone • 16-bit color HDR rendering pipeline • MSL shader editor to learn, tweak, or code your own shaders using the bundled Metal Shading Language library • Includes parametric shaders for image adjustments, effects, patterns, gradients, texture utilities, coordinate space transforms, shader art examples, and more MODULAR ARCHITECTURE • Any number of Tracks, Layers, and Modulators • Advanced layer blending and masking • Deep modulation with MIDI, CV, LFOs, audio reactivity, and more • Route modulation and image signals between Tracks • Use live camera, imported video clips, and image assets as visual input CONNECTIVITY & OUTPUT • Syphon and NDI® real-time video output (Mac only) • Beat-synchronization via Ableton Link or MIDI clock • Receive audio from other apps via Ableton Link Audio • Record your results to video or export still images • Supports external displays and projectors BUY ONCE, OWN FOREVER • No subscriptions, in-app purchases, or ads • One purchase covers Mac, iPad and iPhone NOTE: On Mac, this app requires Apple Silicon or Intel with integrated GPU. NDI® is a registered trademark of Vizrt NDI AB.
Muddy Waters
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Muddy Waters helps you mix watercolor paints using real pigment behaviour, not digital approximations. Many artists reach a point where color mixing becomes frustrating. You add more paint, adjust ratios, and still end up with muddy results. This app is designed to give you a clearer path forward. Using scientific colour values and high end math, Muddy Waters focuses on how watercolor actually behaves, helping you make better mixing decisions using YOUR paints before committing pigment to paper. Key features • Mix colors using your own palette, not generic examples • Explore how pigments combine, including non-linear behaviour • Generate gradients to understand transitions between colors • Match colors from images and find the closest achievable mix • Identify the closest matching pigment in the library • Save favourites for the next time you go shopping for art supplies Images and barcodes are processed on your device. No photos are uploaded or stored externally. No personal data collected. Designed for real painting decisions Watercolour mixing is not predictable or linear. Lighting, dilution, paper colour, and pigment behaviour all affect the result. This app helps you navigate those variables so you can start with the right base colours. Use your own paints Build your palette from the pigments you actually own. The app works with your materials, not an idealised set from a book or tutorial. Simple and focused No accounts, no distractions. The app is designed to support your painting process without getting in the way. Keep exploring Nothing replaces hands-on experimentation, but with better guidance you can avoid common mixing mistakes and make more confident choices. Muddy Waters is free to use with an 8-slot palette. Two optional upgrades unlock more: Premium (one-time purchase) — unlocks palettes to hold any number of paints, in-app camera capture, and Backup & Restore so your palettes, favourites and Shopping List stay safe across devices. Pro (monthly subscription) — adds the Palette Adviser (tells you which paints to swap for a stronger palette), the Light & Shadow engine, Paint Check (compare any paint against everything you already own before you buy), and unlimited palettes.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Muddy Waters at Free against Lucinate's $19.99. Muddy Waters also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). Lucinate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#186 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Muddy Waters is free to download; Lucinate costs $19.99 up front. Muddy Waters sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Lucinate asks for nothing beyond the download.
Lucinate ships an update monthly, Muddy Waters every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lucinate | Muddy Waters |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | #186 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kymatica AB | STUART JOHN FRENCH |
In-app purchases
Lucinate
No in-app purchases
Muddy Waters
- Muddy Waters Pro Monthly3 Months trial$1.991 Month
- Muddy Waters Pro Annual$8.991 Year
- Muddy Waters Premium$5.99









