# Smolcam vs Chaos Camera Lab

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chaos Camera Lab at every 2 days against Smolcam's every 8 months. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Smolcam against 5.0 for Chaos Camera Lab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Smolcam ships an update every 8 months, Chaos Camera Lab every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smolcam | Chaos Camera Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smolcam/id6757683044/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chaos-camera-lab/id6766791087/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jasper Morgal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1752938051) | [Ryan Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888956332) |

## What reviewers say

### Smolcam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smolcam/id6757683044)

This app offers a customizable retro camera experience with a variety of color palettes and dithering options. It provides a simple, distraction-free interface for capturing and saving photos instantly to your library.

**Highlights:** Customizable retro aesthetic, Multiple color palettes (3-bit to 24-bit), Bayer ordered dithering option, Zoom support for all device cameras, Instant save to photo library, Distraction-free interface

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chaos Camera Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chaos-camera-lab/id6766791087)

Transform ordinary photos into unique, collectible color worlds with unpredictable effects. Remap colors, add digital grain, and explore 16 distinct styles. Save and reuse your custom looks for future edits.

**Highlights:** 16 distinct Chaos styles, Color remapping and textured grain, Reusable recipes with shareable codes, Recipe Lab for custom looks, 4:5 camera with zoom, Photo Library import

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smolcam free?

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

### Is Chaos Camera Lab free?

Chaos Camera Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Smolcam or Chaos Camera Lab?

Smolcam and Chaos Camera Lab are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Smolcam or Chaos Camera Lab have ads?

Neither Smolcam nor Chaos Camera Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smolcam or Chaos Camera Lab?

Smolcam ships an update every 8 months, and Chaos Camera Lab every 2 days. Most recently, Smolcam was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chaos Camera Lab on October 10, 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.*