Comparison

LUT Lab vs THE Tether

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

Head to head
About

LUT Lab

Visualize, apply, and export LUTs for photos and videos. This tool supports common formats like .CUBE and HALD, offering a split viewer for before/after comparisons and conversion between formats. It's designed for photographers and videographers seeking a powerful color grading companion.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D LUT visualizer
  • Before/After split viewer
  • Export to .CUBE and HALD formats
  • Convert between .CUBE and HALD
  • Supports drag & drop and keyboard shortcuts
  • Minimal interface with multiple color themes
Features
Read full description

A LUT (Look Up Table) is a simple file that lets you change the colors, tone, and contrast of photos/videos - like a universal color preset, compatible between different apps. LUT Lab is a handy tool that lets you visualize LUTs, use them to process any photo of your choice, and export to/from the most common LUT formats: .CUBE and HALD. It is a nifty companion tool for photographers and videographers, featuring: - Minimal and information dense interface - Full, interactive 3D cube visualizer - Before/After photo split viewer; load your own photos, export a LUT-processed version at native resolution. - Support for .CUBE (any size on input, up to 65×65×65 export) and HALD (TIFF/PNG, any rank) formats - Convert from .CUBE to HALD and from HALD to .CUBE; optionally resample .CUBE files for maximum compatibility with other apps - Supports desktop class features on iPad + Mac: multiple windows, drag & drop, keyboard shortcuts, open .CUBE files into LUT Lab straight from Finder/Files, etc. - Multiple color themes (one time in-app purchase required) - Extremely small app size: tons of functionality packed into only a couple megabytes. - Respects your privacy: no 3rd party libraries or tracking. Uses the latest iOS APIs so you only have to give minimal permissions for loading & saving files. If you have any questions, suggestions, need support, or for anything else, don't hesitate to reach out! contact@heliographe.net

About

THE Tether

Instantly review and manage photos wirelessly from your camera on your mobile device. This app facilitates a fast on-set workflow for photographers, allowing for image rating, RAW file matching, and organized export.

Highlights
  • Wireless JPG review while shooting
  • Support for Nikon, Sony, Canon cameras
  • Session-based photo management
  • Fullscreen review and rating
  • RAW matching and download
  • Export JPG and RAW files
Features
Read full description

THE Tether brings wireless tethering and on-set photo review to Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Connect a supported Nikon camera, review your images, and keep your selections organized from capture to export. A WORKFLOW FOR YOUR SHOOT • Receive JPG, RAW, or JPG+RAW with supported camera settings. • Review photos in Sessions, browse the filmstrip, and assign ratings. • Use Rated RAW to receive RAW files for selected rated images when supported. • Review the selected image in Full Screen. • Export JPG/RAW selections and XMP rating metadata for your editing workflow. STAY ORGANIZED WHEN CONNECTIONS CHANGE Automatic reconnect and Missed Capture Recovery help you resume supported Nikon workflows after an interruption. Multi-camera Sessions keep camera identities distinct and organize images across cameras. Availability depends on the camera, retained files, and connection conditions. DESIGNED FOR THE MAC The Mac review workspace adds pointer-controlled Loupe inspection and side-by-side Compare. These desktop presentations are Mac-specific; controls and layouts differ on iPhone and iPad. CAMERA COMPATIBILITY A compatible camera and Wi-Fi connection are required for wireless capture. Supported features vary by model, firmware, network, and file format. Check the connection guide before subscribing. Not every feature is available on every camera. PRO SUBSCRIPTION Monthly and annual subscriptions are available. 7-day free trial available. The App Store shows your local price and subscription terms before purchase. After an applicable trial, the selected subscription renews automatically at the price shown unless canceled. Manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. THE Tether is independently developed and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nikon Corporation. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://dune-pixie-e84.notion.site/THE-tether-Privacy-Policy-3601d408edd98090b797f608872b583c

Screenshots

LUT Lab4 screens
THE Tether4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LUT Lab at 100% against THE Tether's 80%. LUT Lab also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). THE Tether's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. LUT Lab sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and THE Tether sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LUT Lab ships an update every 3 weeks, THE Tether weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
LUT Lab versus THE Tether: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLUT LabTHE Tether
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHéliographe, Incharyun song

Customer experience

LUT Lab

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

THE Tether

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

LUT Lab

One-time2
  • LUT Lab: Friendly Tip$4.99
  • LUT Lab: Royal Tip$19.99
2 purchases

THE Tether

Subscriptions2
  • THE tether Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • THE tether Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year

Questions

Is LUT Lab free?
LUT Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is THE Tether free?
THE Tether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LUT Lab or THE Tether have ads?
Neither LUT Lab nor THE Tether shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LUT Lab or THE Tether?
LUT Lab ships an update every 3 weeks, and THE Tether weekly. Most recently, LUT Lab was updated on September 18, 2026 and THE Tether on September 29, 2026.

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