# Filter Simulation vs Darkroom Assistant

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Filter Simulation at none against Darkroom Assistant's 1. Darkroom Assistant's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Darkroom Assistant sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $39.99 per year. Filter Simulation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Filter Simulation ships an update monthly, Darkroom Assistant every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Filter Simulation | Darkroom Assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filter-simulation/id6747726359/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ari Jaaksi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770069317) | [Distinction Photo LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868141640) |

## What reviewers say

### Filter Simulation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filter-simulation/id6747726359)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Darkroom Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkroom-assistant/id6757661002)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Darkroom Assistant Standard | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Filter Simulation free?

Filter Simulation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Darkroom Assistant free?

Darkroom Assistant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Filter Simulation or Darkroom Assistant have ads?

Neither Filter Simulation nor Darkroom Assistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Filter Simulation or Darkroom Assistant?

Filter Simulation ships an update monthly, and Darkroom Assistant every 4 days. Most recently, Filter Simulation was updated on September 18, 2026 and Darkroom Assistant on September 9, 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.*