# Popdot (Halftone Effect) vs Fx Stencil

The clearest difference is rating: Fx Stencil at 4.5 against Popdot (Halftone Effect)'s 2.7. Fx Stencil also leads on review sentiment (36% vs 0%) and ratings volume (1K vs 3). Popdot (Halftone Effect)'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (7.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fx Stencil sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Popdot (Halftone Effect) asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fx Stencil holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fx Stencil has 1K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Popdot (Halftone Effect)'s written reviews are positive against 36% of Fx Stencil's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 6, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Popdot (Halftone Effect) | Fx Stencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popdot-halftone-effect/id657300541/reviews) | **[4.5 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fx-stencil/id840899578/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **35.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [nedis](https://appshunter.io/developer/435715340) | [Tien Le](https://appshunter.io/developer/840899581) |

## What reviewers say

### Popdot (Halftone Effect)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popdot-halftone-effect/id657300541)

Transform your photos into comic-book style illustrations or dot art with various image effects. This app offers a simple interface for easy use and sharing to popular social media platforms.

**Highlights:** Comic-book style illustrations, Dot art effects, Easy-to-use interface, Share to social media, Save to camera roll, Print option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Fx Stencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fx-stencil/id840899578)

Transform your photos into unique stencil art. Easily edit, customize colors, and apply gradients to create personalized designs for printing on various materials or sharing with loved ones.

**Highlights:** Create stencils from photos, Edit and customize stencils, Gradient stencil effects, Save and share stencils, Simple drawing tools, Invert stencil option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Watermark | $0.99 | one-time |
| Add Picker Color | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gradient Stencil | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Advertisement | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing app
- 👍 Love app
- 👍 Stencil app
- 👍 Simple and elegant
- 👍 Great for black and white contrast

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Clumsy
- 🐛 Crashes
- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Limited
- 🐛 Doesn't access albums

**Reported bugs**

- Only lets you do one stencil
- App closes when selecting photo
- Zooms in to one corner
- Doesn't display entire picture

**Requested features**

- Two-tone image options
- Ability to add more photos
- Bring back old invert option
- Allow access to photo albums


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Popdot (Halftone Effect) free?

Popdot (Halftone Effect) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Fx Stencil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Popdot (Halftone Effect) or Fx Stencil?

Fx Stencil is rated higher. Popdot (Halftone Effect) averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Fx Stencil averages 4.5 from 1K ratings.

### Do Popdot (Halftone Effect) or Fx Stencil have ads?

Neither Popdot (Halftone Effect) nor Fx Stencil shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Popdot (Halftone Effect) or Fx Stencil?

Popdot (Halftone Effect) ships an update every 2 months, and Fx Stencil every 2 months. Most recently, Popdot (Halftone Effect) was updated on June 6, 2026 and Fx Stencil on September 28, 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.*