# MacroShader vs Add Astra

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MacroShader at none against Add Astra's 5. Add Astra's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Add Astra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. MacroShader asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for MacroShader against 5.0 for Add Astra. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

MacroShader ships an update every 4 months, Add Astra every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MacroShader | Add Astra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macroshader/id6751045993/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/add-astra/id6757625634/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AstroShader Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655754202) | [APParent LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867945954) |

## What reviewers say

### MacroShader

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

Capture stunning close-up images with advanced manual camera controls and specialized processing. Features include focus peaking, RAW saving, and a unique focus shutter for precise macro shots.

**Highlights:** Focus shutter, Focus peaking, Manual camera controls, Save in RAW, Customized image processing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Add Astra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/add-astra/id6757625634)

Overlay accurate star positions onto your photos using image metadata and machine learning. The app intelligently identifies the sky to ensure stars are placed realistically, avoiding unwanted artifacts.

**Highlights:** Accurate star positioning, Uses Yale Bright Star Catalog, Extracts image metadata, Machine learning sky detection, Realistic star overlays

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Credits a Month + No Ads | $10.99 | per month |
| One Credit | $0.29 | one-time |
| Five Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ten Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits | $7.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MacroShader free?

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

### Is Add Astra free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MacroShader or Add Astra?

MacroShader and Add Astra are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do MacroShader or Add Astra have ads?

Neither MacroShader nor Add Astra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MacroShader or Add Astra?

MacroShader ships an update every 4 months, and Add Astra every 2 days. Most recently, MacroShader was updated on October 1, 2026 and Add Astra on October 24, 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.*