Comparison

Frames vs Filter Simulation

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

Head to head
About

Frames

This app helps film photographers meticulously log every detail of their analog shots. It allows you to record frame settings, attach reference images, and organize your entire film library. The companion Mac app can embed this logged data directly into your scanned negatives as EXIF metadata.

Highlights
  • Log shot settings and EXIF data
  • Attach reference images to frames
  • Organize film rolls, cameras, and lenses
  • Interactive map of shot locations
  • Export records in multiple formats
  • Embed metadata into scanned negatives
  • Supports 35mm, medium, and large format film
Features
Read full description

Frames is a film photography logbook that connects every shot to its final scan. Record your frames as you shoot, then embed your shooting data into scanned images as EXIF once your negatives are developed. • Manage film rolls, cameras, lenses, and filters in one place • Log every frame: aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, metering, ISO, location, and more • Controls that adapt to your camera and lens setup • Autofill film stock, camera, lens, and ISO for faster logging • Attach reference images for visual context per frame • Organize with folders and search • View shoots on an interactive map and revisit locations • Sync across iPhone and iPad with iCloud • Export to Frames, PDF (print-ready), CSV, TXT, GPX, and XMP • Includes 200+ film stocks: Kodak, Fujifilm, Ilford, CineStill, Lomography, and more • Supports 35mm, 120 medium format, and large format cameras • Privacy-focused: no ads, no tracking, no account required Embed Your Metadata with the Frames Mac App After developing and scanning your negatives, the Frames Mac app writes your shooting data directly into image files as EXIF metadata. Compatible with JPEG, JXL, TIFF, and DNG files from any scanner. Every scan then carries the full context of how it was shot: camera, lens, film stock, shutter speed, aperture, flash, focus distance, exposure program, metering mode, location, and more. Adobe Lightroom, Apple Photos, and any EXIF-aware software read your film settings the same way they read a digital camera’s. No spreadsheets. No scattered notes. One consistent record attached to every image. Includes up to 5 film rolls for free. Upgrade for unlimited rolls, subfolders, data export, and metadata embedding with the Frames Mac app. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Filter Simulation

Simulate the effects of real optical filters for black and white photography. This app accurately mimics the luminance modulation of red, yellow, green, blue, and orange filters. It also includes an automatic shutter speed calculator for ND filters and a pinhole photography simulator.

Highlights
  • Simulate optical filters for B&W
  • Mimics red, yellow, green, blue, orange filters
  • Custom CIColorKernel shaders
  • Automatic shutter speed calculator for ND filters
  • Pinhole photograph simulation
Features
Read full description

Simulate real optical filters in black & white. This app uses custom CIColorKernel shaders to modulate grayscale luminance based on color vector similarity—accurately mimicking red, yellow, green, blue, and orange filters as used in film photography. Then, if needed, save the filtered image with filter information. Then, swipe left and find an automatic shutter speed calculator for applying various ND filters And that's not all; keep on swiping and you can simulate pinhole photographs before shooting!

Screenshots

Frames4 screens
Filter Simulation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Filter Simulation at none against Frames's 3. Frames's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). 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. Frames sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Filter Simulation 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 Frames against 5.0 for Filter Simulation. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Frames ships an update weekly, Filter Simulation monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Frames versus Filter Simulation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFramesFilter Simulation
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.616.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVincent TantardiniAri Jaaksi

Customer experience

Frames

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Filter Simulation

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Frames

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan$1.991 Month
  • Annual Plan$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$59.99
None

Filter Simulation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Frames free?
Frames is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Filter Simulation free?
Filter Simulation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Frames or Filter Simulation?
Frames and Filter Simulation are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Frames or Filter Simulation have ads?
Neither Frames nor Filter Simulation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Frames or Filter Simulation?
Frames ships an update weekly, and Filter Simulation monthly. Most recently, Frames was updated on October 12, 2026 and Filter Simulation on October 24, 2026.

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