Comparison

MixReels vs Shadow Studio

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

Head to head
About

MixReels

This app offers a professional-grade video editing experience with advanced compositing, audio controls, and unique visual effects. Create stunning shorts and VLOGs with Hollywood-grade VFX and cinematic color grading, all processed locally on your device for enhanced privacy.

Highlights
  • Pro compositing with chroma key and blend modes
  • Advanced audio control with music beat sync
  • Exclusive glitch art and camera-move transitions
  • Cinematic color grading with film-grade presets
  • Real-time rendering and local processing for privacy
  • 4K 60FPS ultra HD export with anti-compression encoding
Read full description

MixReels is a video editor for short, eye-catching edits: trending templates, glitch and VHS effects, green screen, keyframes and auto captions. Editing runs on your device and works offline; AI video, image and music tools upload only what they need, only when you use them. ◆ Why MixReels? Because your time is precious and your taste is professional. We removed the complexity and kept the pure visual impact. ◆ Key Features AI Creation, From Idea to Screen • AI Video: Describe a scene and turn it into a moving clip. • AI Image: Generate original visuals in one tap. • AI Music: Create an original vocal soundtrack made just for your video. • AI Soundtrack: Score your video from its footage, with music that matches its mood, pace and length. • Auto Captions: Speech to synced captions in 17 languages, or import SRT. Advanced Editing, Intuitive Control • Keyframe Animation: Precise control of position, scale, rotation, and opacity. • Smart Tracking: Stickers, text, and overlays follow your subject automatically. • Text Animation: Combine in, loop, and out effects, revealing by character or line. • Pro Compositing: Smart cutout, chroma key (green screen), masks, and blend modes. • Advanced Audio: One-tap vocal separation, beat sync, and your own imported music. AI Trends, Your Photo in Every Trend • Trending Effects: Upload a photo (some trends take several) and turn it into viral AI portraits, costume looks and short videos. • See It First: Every effect comes with a before-and-after sample, and your creations stay in My Works. • Share with Friends: Send a trend you love to friends so they can make their own version. Video Templates, One-Tap Edits • Trending Templates: A whole feed of trending edits—see the finished result before you use it. • Same Look in Seconds: Swap in your clips and the cuts, transitions, effects, and captions land on beat automatically. Exclusive Effects & Silky Transitions • Glitch Art: Datamosh, RGB Split, Pixel Stretch and other hardcore looks. • Camera-Move Transitions: One-tap Liquid Distortion and Zoom Blur for beat-synced edits. • Retro Texture: VHS tape, 8mm film grain, and neon glow. Cinematic Color & Licensed Audio • Master Filters: Film-grade presets, fine tuning, and your own LUTs (.cube). • Worry-Free Use: Licensed music and cinematic SFX you can publish anywhere. Hardcore Engine & Privacy • Real-Time Rendering: Multi-layer 4K effects stay smooth in preview. • Local Editing: All editing runs on your device and works offline. AI features upload only what they need, only when you use them. 4K 60FPS Ultra HD Export • Ultimate Quality: Full 4K 60fps output, optimized to stay sharp after posting. • Flexible Export: Save as video or animated GIF, sized for every platform. ◆ Download MixReels now—leave mediocrity behind and define the trend with VFX. ◆ Official website: www.mixreels.com 【MixReels Auto-Renewable Subscription Statement】 • Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within the last 24 hours of the current period, and the renewal cost will be identified. • To cancel the subscription, open iPhone "Settings" -> "Apple ID" -> "Subscriptions" -> "MixReels" -> Cancel Subscription. • Terms of Use: https://www.mixreels.com/terms • Privacy Policy: https://www.mixreels.com/privacy • Credits Rules: https://www.mixreels.com/credits

About

Shadow Studio

Enhance your photos with cinematic shadows, blurs, and gradients. This powerful editor offers precise control over lighting and overlays, allowing creators to achieve professional-grade, atmospheric images effortlessly. Includes a built-in camera and full-resolution export.

Highlights
  • Directional shadows with custom angles
  • Solid, blur, and gradient overlay styles
  • Adjustable effect intensity
  • Shake to randomize effects
  • Built-in camera with live preview
  • Full-resolution photo export
  • Dark and light theme options
Features
Read full description

Shadow Studio — Transform your photos with cinematic shadows, blurs, and gradients. A minimal, powerful photo editor designed for creators who care about atmosphere and detail. Add directional shadows, cinematic blur fades, and beautifully crafted gradient overlays to turn any photo into a moody, professional-grade image in seconds. KEY FEATURES • Directional Shadows — Apply from Top, Bottom, Left, Right, or any Custom angle with a 360° slider. • Three Overlay Styles: – Solid: Photographer-friendly colors (black, navy, brown, teal, purple, maroon) or any custom color. – Blur: Multi-pass cinematic blur that fades naturally into your image. – Gradient: Seven hand-crafted presets — Sunset, Ocean, Forest, Purple Haze, Golden Hour, Fire, Dusk. • Intensity Control — Fine-tune the strength of any effect with a smooth slider. • Shake to Randomize — Shake your device or tap the dice to try new combinations instantly. • Built-in Camera — Capture photos directly in 16:9 with live preview. • Photo Library Import — Clean half-sheet picker with live preview. • Full-Resolution Export — Save or share at original quality. Nothing is downscaled. • Dark & Light Themes — Automatic system-matching or manual selection. • Glass-Morphism UI — A polished, modern interface that stays out of your way. Whether you're a photographer adding mood to a portrait, a designer preparing content for social media, or just someone who loves beautiful photos — Shadow Studio makes it effortless. No subscriptions. No watermarks. No ads.

Screenshots

MixReels4 screens
Shadow Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Studio at none against MixReels's 9. Shadow Studio also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly). MixReels's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. MixReels sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Shadow Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for MixReels against 5.0 for Shadow Studio. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 8 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MixReels ships an update weekly, Shadow Studio daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MixReels versus Shadow Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMixReelsShadow Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (12 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better8
Update frequencyWeeklyDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer文海 张Mohamed Alhammadi

Customer experience

MixReels

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Shadow Studio

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

9 purchases

MixReels

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium1 Month trial$7.991 Month
  • Annual Premium$59.991 Year
One-time7
  • 600 Credits$2.49
  • 1200 Credits$4.99
  • 1 Month Premium$9.99
Show 4 more
  • 2400 Credits$9.99
  • 3600 Credits$14.99
  • 4800 Credits$19.99
  • 6000 Credits$24.99
None

Shadow Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MixReels free?
MixReels is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Studio free?
Shadow Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MixReels or Shadow Studio?
MixReels and Shadow Studio are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 12 and 8 ratings respectively.
Do MixReels or Shadow Studio have ads?
Neither MixReels nor Shadow Studio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MixReels or Shadow Studio?
MixReels ships an update weekly, and Shadow Studio daily. Most recently, MixReels was updated on October 24, 2026 and Shadow Studio on October 31, 2026.

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