Comparison

RAW2HDR vs SamePhoto

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

Head to head
About

RAW2HDR

Transform your camera's RAW files into stunning 10-bit HDR images with over a billion colors. Enhance brightness, shadows, and color depth for photos that truly pop. Includes professional editing tools, black & white conversion, and customizable frames.

Highlights
  • RAW to 10-bit HDR conversion
  • Enhanced color depth and dynamic range
  • Professional editing tools
  • Black & white conversion
  • Customizable picture frames and borders
  • LUT and style simulations
  • Universal RAW file support
Features
Read full description

Unlock the True Potential of Your Photos : raw2hdr transforms your camera's RAW files into stunning 10-bit HDR images that bring your photography to life. Whether you're shooting with a Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, or Leica, this app unlocks the full dynamic range hiding in your RAW files. What is 10-bit HDR? Standard photos are limited to 8-bit color (16 million colors). 10-bit HDR images contain over 1 billion colors — that's 64 times more color information! This means: * Brighter whites that truly shine without washing out * Deeper shadows with visible detail instead of pure black * Richer colors that match what your eyes actually saw * Glowing highlights in sunsets, city lights, and reflections Think of it like viewing your photos through a professional slide projector instead of looking at a print — everything has depth, luminance, and presence that jumps off the screen. The HDR Difference You Can See When you view HDR images on modern iPhones, iPads, or HDR-enabled displays, you'll notice: * Sunsets actually glow with warm radiance * City lights sparkle like real life * Black & white photos show brilliant whites that feel illuminated from within * Picture frames make your images pop off the screen with dimensional depth Perfect for Social Media - Share your HDR masterpieces where they'll shine: * Instagram - HDR photos stand out in feeds with eye-catching vibrancy * Threads - Your HDR images will stop the scroll * iMessage - Send HDR photos that look stunning on recipients' HDR screens * iPhone Photos - Full HDR viewing with the HDR badge Professional Editing Tools : * Histogram, Crop mode, Exposure, Contrast, Black Point, White Balance, Shadow Recovery, Lens Correction, Noise Reduction Black & White Conversion : * Transform your photos into luminous black & white images where whites actually glow brighter than standard photos. In HDR, monochrome photography reaches a new level — imagine viewing Ansel Adams prints with a backlight. Picture Frames & Borders : * Borders in any size with any colors * Custom aspect ratios (65:24 x-pan, 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, or original) * Flexible alignment * HDR frames create a gallery presentation effect — like matted prints in a professional exhibition Simulations & LUTs: * Adding styles into your images in both SDR / HDR from ranges of 50+ styles Universal RAW Support - Apple's CIRAWFilter for professional-grade RAW processing Works with RAW files from major camera brands: * Sony (ARW) * Fujifilm (RAF) — including X-Trans sensors * Canon (CR2, CR3) * Leica, Apple, DJI, Google, Sigma, Ricoh (DNG) * Panasonic (RAW, RW2) * Hasselblad (3FR) * Olympus (ORF) * Pentax (PEF) * Nikon (NEF) * And many more... The Value of Converting to HDR : Your camera captures far more light information than what standard 8-bit photos can display. RAW files contain this "hidden" data, but you need HDR to actually see it. Standard Photo: Clipped highlights, crushed shadows, compressed colors HDR Conversion: Full dynamic range, glowing lights, rich shadows, true-to-life colors It's like the difference between looking through a dirty window vs. standing outside — suddenly everything is vivid, dimensional, and real. How It Works : 1. Import your RAW photos from anywhere 2. Convert to 10-bit HDR HEIC with a single tap 3. Editing with adjustments, add elegant frames, experimenting with film simulations 4. Share to Instagram, Threads, or save to Photos 5. Experience your photos in stunning HDR on compatible displays See the Difference : The difference between standard photos and HDR is impossible to describe — you have to see it. Once you experience HDR images on an HDR display, standard photos will feel flat and lifeless by comparison.

About

SamePhoto

Features
Read full description

Love a photo but not sure how to take one like it? SamePhoto starts with an example: pick a shot, open the camera, and follow the on-screen guidance to find your framing. FIND YOUR NEXT SHOT Explore portraits, couples, friends, travel, food and more. Save your favorite examples and import your own reference photos. KNOW THE ANGLE Each example includes lens, phone-height and distance tips. Reference outlines, composition guides and live direction hints help you line up the shot. After taking a photo, compare it with the example and choose a filter. LEARN WITH ILLUSTRATIONS Explore lessons on posing, composition, light and color. In-app comics show where to stand and how to hold the phone, with camera practice available for supported lessons. Example photos and lesson artwork are AI illustrations. CREATE SOMETHING TO KEEP Import 1–8 photos in Create and choose from 72 layouts, including editorial pages, travel postcards, film strips and digital diaries. Add text, stickers and person cutouts, adjust photo crops, and export your composition. Turn photos and short clips into films with five styles, each with its own opening, transitions, ending and soundtrack. NEW TEMPLATES, AVAILABLE OFFLINE Download updated layouts and artwork in the app. Installed content works offline, and existing projects retain their original composition settings. KEEP PHOTOS TOGETHER BY PLACE Geotagged photos are automatically organized into place folders. Choose whether to record shooting locations in Settings. PAY ONCE, EVERYTHING INCLUDED One purchase includes every feature, with no subscriptions, in-app purchases or ads. YOUR PHOTOS STAY ON YOUR IPHONE No account is required. Photos, videos and editing settings are stored on your device. The app downloads updated examples, templates and artwork without uploading your photos or videos.

Screenshots

RAW2HDR4 screens
SamePhoto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RAW2HDR at Free against SamePhoto's $2.99. RAW2HDR also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). SamePhoto's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads 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

RAW2HDR is free to download; SamePhoto costs $2.99 up front. RAW2HDR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SamePhoto asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RAW2HDR ships an update every 2 weeks, SamePhoto every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
RAW2HDR versus SamePhoto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRAW2HDRSamePhoto
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.5 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size185 MB159 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChris chi-fu HUANGCheng Yu Chiang

In-app purchases

1 purchases

RAW2HDR

One-time1
  • raw2hdr Pro Unlimited$2.99
None

SamePhoto

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RAW2HDR free?
RAW2HDR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SamePhoto free?
SamePhoto costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do RAW2HDR or SamePhoto have ads?
Neither RAW2HDR nor SamePhoto shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RAW2HDR or SamePhoto?
RAW2HDR ships an update every 2 weeks, and SamePhoto every 3 days. Most recently, RAW2HDR was updated on November 5, 2026 and SamePhoto on November 6, 2026.

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