# MacroShader vs AstroStacker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MacroShader at 100% against AstroStacker's 0%. MacroShader also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). AstroStacker's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AstroStacker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. MacroShader asks for nothing beyond the download.

MacroShader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AstroStacker has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of MacroShader's written reviews are positive against 0% of AstroStacker's.

MacroShader ships an update every 4 months, AstroStacker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MacroShader | AstroStacker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macroshader/id6751045993/reviews)** | [1.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrostacker-stack-the-sky/id6753679598/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 2 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AstroShader Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655754202) | [Ahmed Al-Mahmud](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844352476) |

## What reviewers say

### MacroShader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macroshader/id6751045993)

Capture incredibly detailed close-up photos with advanced processing. This app enhances image resolution by combining multiple shots and offers manual camera controls for precise adjustments. It includes focus peaking and editing tools for fine-tuning your macro shots.

**Highlights:** Multi-frame super resolution processing, Focus shutter with tap and hold functionality, Focus peaking for precise focus, Manual camera controls, Size-specific detail enhancements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### AstroStacker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrostacker-stack-the-sky/id6753679598)

Enhance your night sky photos by stacking multiple exposures into a single, detailed image. This app automatically aligns stars, reduces noise, and offers tools to refine your astrophotography results directly on your iPhone or iPad.

**Highlights:** Stack multiple night sky photos, Automatic star alignment, Noise reduction for clearer images, Advanced editing tools, Support for calibration frames (Pro), On-device processing

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AstroStacker app | $12.99 | per month |
| AstroStacker app | $99.99 | per year |
| AstroStacker app | $219.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MacroShader free?

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

### Is AstroStacker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MacroShader or AstroStacker?

MacroShader is rated higher. MacroShader averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while AstroStacker averages 1.1 from 7 ratings.

### Do MacroShader or AstroStacker have ads?

Neither MacroShader nor AstroStacker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MacroShader or AstroStacker?

MacroShader ships an update every 4 months, and AstroStacker every 2 weeks. Most recently, MacroShader was updated on November 5, 2026 and AstroStacker on November 12, 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.*