Comparison

Gems vs 21Pix

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

Head to head
About

Gems

Features
Read full description

Gems turns fleeting moments into lasting memories by transforming any gathering into a shared photography experience. Perfect for corporate events, weddings, parties, gatherings, and unforgettable evenings. Like a digital disposable camera - guests capture the moment as it happens. You choose how many photos each person can take, and the full gallery is revealed when the time is right. ----- NO DOWNLOAD FOR GUESTS Guests can join instantly by scanning a QR code or tapping a link. No app install. CAPTURE THE NOW The camera feels raw and spontaneous. Set photo limits to make every shot meaningful. CURATED FILTERS Choose from carefully crafted filters so every memory has a unified, timeless aesthetic. HOST PROMPTS (NUDGES) Hosts can request specific shots during the event - like “team toast”, “take a selfie”, “first dance”, or “everyone smiling”. GALLERY REVEAL Unveil the photos live throughout the event or after the event - ideal for that collective “wow” moment. EASY SHARING Gems generates a unique QR code and link so anyone can join and share effortlessly.

About

21Pix

Features
Read full description

Remember disposable cameras? The waiting. The not-knowing. The little envelope of prints that always held a few surprises. 21Pix brings that feeling back — through your phone, but with real photographs that end up on your doormat. HOW IT WORKS You get 21 shots. Frame each one through a tiny viewfinder — no live preview, no filters, no deletes, no retakes. When the roll is full, order your prints — they're printed on real 10×15 cm glossy photo paper and shipped to your address. A few days later, an envelope lands on your doormat. You open it. You see what you actually shot. Some are great. Some are blurry. All of them are surprises. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT - No previews, no retakes — Shoot blind. Discover later. The wait is the feature. - 21 shots per roll — A hard limit makes every frame matter. The same number of exposures as a classic disposable. - Real photo prints by mail — Premium 10×15 cm photographs on real photo paper, shipped across the EU. Not pixels. Paper. - Slow on purpose — Mechanical shutter sound, real shake on capture, no previews and no retakes. We rebuilt the whole ritual. - Private and ad-free — No tracking, no ads, no AI scraping, no behavioural profiling. Photos are deleted from our servers after we print them. - Made in the EU — EU servers, EU printing, ships across the EU. WHAT LANDS ON YOUR DOORMAT Real 10×15 cm prints on glossy photo paper. Made for fridges, shoeboxes, and the back of a bedroom mirror — not for feeds. Hold them. Stick them up. Mail them to someone. WHERE WE SHIP Across the EU: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany. More countries coming. PRICING The app is free. Each roll's price covers 21 prints on real paper plus shipping to your door. Final price shown before checkout. No subscriptions, no hidden costs. MADE BY HUMANS We're a small team. Real people answer your emails at info@21pixapp.com Forget what you shot. Be delighted by it later.

Screenshots

Gems4 screens
21Pix4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Gems at none against 21Pix's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gems ships an update every 6 days, 21Pix weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Gems versus 21Pix: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGems21Pix
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterWeekly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB28 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperStudio PropelHaus Inc.Rick Groenewegen

In-app purchases

None

Gems

No in-app purchases

None

21Pix

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gems free?
Gems is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 21Pix free?
21Pix is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Gems or 21Pix have ads?
21Pix shows ads; Gems does not.
Which is updated more often, Gems or 21Pix?
Gems ships an update every 6 days, and 21Pix weekly. Most recently, Gems was updated on October 30, 2026 and 21Pix on October 28, 2026.

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