Comparison

DevelopFilm vs Darkroom Studios

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

Head to head
About

DevelopFilm

This app is a pocket darkroom companion for black-and-white film development. It offers official developing times, a smart timer with agitation guidance, and full process control. Track your film details and parameters in a built-in journal to refine your workflow and achieve consistent results.

Highlights
  • Official developing times database
  • Smart timer with agitation guidance
  • Full process control adjustments
  • Built-in film roll journal
  • Quick custom timer
  • Darkroom-ready minimal interface
Features
Read full description

Your pocket darkroom for black-and-white film. DevelopFilm is a complete darkroom companion designed to help you develop film with confidence — whether it’s your first roll or your hundredth. Official developing times: Access precise data from manufacturer datasheets for Adox, Bergger, Foma, Fujifilm, Ilford, Kentmere, Kodak, Rollei, and more. The library is continuously expanding. Smart timer with agitation guidance: Run a clean dual-phase timer for developing and fixing, with built-in agitation reminders and visual alerts. Full process control: Adjust by temperature, developer reuse, push/pull stops, processing vessel, fixer, stop bath, toners, and more — everything that affects your final look. Built-in journal: Keep track of every roll. Save your film details, developing parameters, notes, and photos so you can repeat your best results or refine your workflow. Quick Timer: Need flexibility? Set a custom time and start developing instantly. Darkroom-ready design: A minimal, dark-mode interface that stays readable under safe lights and keeps you focused on the process. Whether you’re new to film developing or refining your craft, DevelopFilm helps you stay consistent, learn faster, and enjoy every step of the process. Upgrade to Darkroom Pass to unlock pro features like push/pull adjustments, fixer timer, and photo journaling. Terms of Use: mirnijatom.github.io/terms.html Privacy Policy: mirnijatom.github.io/privacy.html

About

Darkroom Studios

This app helps analog photographers manage their darkroom printing process. It tracks equipment, darkroom setups, and print parameters to ensure repeatable results. Guided sessions with timed stages and live previews aid in achieving desired outcomes.

Highlights
  • Register and track darkroom gear
  • Build and save repeatable darkroom setups
  • Guided printing sessions with timed stages
  • Live print previews with parameter adjustments
  • Save and share print results with parameters
  • No ads or tracking
Features
Read full description

Darkroom Studios is a workbench for analog printing. It keeps track of the gear you own, the darkrooms you build from it, and every print you pull — so a result you liked six months ago is a setup you can repeat tonight. REGISTER YOUR GEAR Add your enlargers, lenses, easels, timers, and chemistry. Each item carries the details that actually matter at the baseboard, so you are not guessing which lens was on the column for a print you made last spring. BUILD REPEATABLE DARKROOMS Group gear into named darkrooms — a full working setup you can select in one tap. Set one as your default and every new session starts from known ground. RUN GUIDED SESSIONS A printing session walks through nine steps, from exposure to wash. Each stage is timed against the wall clock, and the app notifies you when a stage is over, so you can keep both hands on the print instead of watching a timer. DIAL IN THE PRINT Set contrast grade, exposure time, aperture, and darkness before you commit, and see a live preview rendered from your own photograph. Burn and dodge to shape the result. The preview works from the actual image you are printing — it is not a stock simulation. KEEP EVERY RESULT Photograph the negative or the finished print with the camera, or pick an image from your library. Each completed session is saved with a rendered print and the full parameter set that produced it. Save finished prints back to your photo library or share them. NO ADS, NO TRACKING There is no advertising in Darkroom Studios and no analytics or tracking SDK of any kind. Your gear, your sessions, and your images are yours.

Screenshots

DevelopFilm4 screens
Darkroom Studios4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Darkroom Studios at none against DevelopFilm's 3. Darkroom Studios also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). 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. DevelopFilm sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Darkroom Studios 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 DevelopFilm against 5.0 for Darkroom Studios. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DevelopFilm ships an update every 11 days, Darkroom Studios fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
DevelopFilm versus Darkroom Studios: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDevelopFilmDarkroom Studios
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAleksandrs BertulisJunziTech Solutions LLC

Customer experience

DevelopFilm

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

Darkroom Studios

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

In-app purchases

3 purchases

DevelopFilm

Subscriptions2
  • Darkroom Pass Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Darkroom Pass Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$34.99
None

Darkroom Studios

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DevelopFilm free?
DevelopFilm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Darkroom Studios free?
Darkroom Studios is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DevelopFilm or Darkroom Studios?
DevelopFilm and Darkroom Studios are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do DevelopFilm or Darkroom Studios have ads?
Neither DevelopFilm nor Darkroom Studios shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DevelopFilm or Darkroom Studios?
DevelopFilm ships an update every 11 days, and Darkroom Studios fortnightly. Most recently, DevelopFilm was updated on November 5, 2026 and Darkroom Studios on October 31, 2026.

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