Comparison

Ephemeral Trace vs SnapTemp

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

Head to head
About

Ephemeral Trace

Features
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Photos and videos that delete themselves. Ephemeral Trace is a private camera for media that only needs to exist for a while. Choose a timer before you shoot or import. Each item counts down, then deletes itself when time runs out. No account. No analytics. No tracking. FOR PHOTOS THAT HAD ONE JOB A parking spot. A whiteboard after the meeting. A guest Wi-Fi card. A locker number. A document you are sending once. Capture it. Use it. Let it go. CAPTURE OR IMPORT Shoot in the app, pick specific photos and videos with Apple's system picker, or send them from another app with the Share sheet. Ephemeral Trace cannot browse your photo library. If you pick an item stored only in iCloud, Apple may download that item first. SET THE TIMER FIRST Choose 30 seconds, 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 24 hours. Every item shows a live countdown and a decay ring. Local notifications can warn you before time runs out. USE WHAT IT SAYS Copy the text in any photo. Point the camera at a QR code, or open a photo that has one, and a button joins the Wi-Fi network, saves the contact, adds the event to Calendar, or opens the link. Show Code puts a ticket's code on screen, flat and bright, for the scanner. When a ticket or coupon shows its end time, the app can offer that moment as the photo's expiry. One tap applies it. FIND WHAT IS STILL HERE Search your notes and folder names, or by date, like β€œyesterday” or β€œSeptember”, then filter by type, expiry, folder, or whether an item has a note. With Pro, Text in Photos reads the words in your photos on your iPhone, so you can find a receipt, label, or whiteboard without uploading anything. PRIVATE BY DESIGN β€’ No accounts β€’ No analytics or tracking β€’ No advertising identifiers β€’ No crash reporting β€’ No app-operated cloud storage or servers Media stays in the app's private storage, protected by iOS Data Protection. When expiry completes, the file and its encryption key are removed together. Media is excluded from iCloud and iTunes backups, so a capture doesn't outlive its timer inside a backup. There is no trash, Recently Deleted collection, or undo path. A LIBRARY THAT EMPTIES ITSELF See what is still alive at a glance. Extend an expiry, move an item, add a note, share it, save it to Photos, or delete it early. Statistics show how much you have already let go. FOLDERS WITHOUT THE PILE-UP Organize media into folders, choose a default folder, and capture straight into it. The free version includes up to two folders. ONE-TIME PRO Pro unlocks: β€’ Keep Forever β€’ Custom timers up to one year β€’ Unlimited folders β€’ A Face ID or Touch ID gallery lock, plus individually locked folders β€’ Text in Photos: search the words in your photos β€’ Folder rules that file new photos by their text β€’ Redact the numbers, codes, faces, and lines of text it finds, or draw a box over anything else, before you share or save a photo β€’ Straighten a receipt, ticket, or page β€’ A custom accent color One purchase. No subscription. No ads. Free includes unlimited capture, the four standard timers, automatic deletion, expiry warnings, import, notes, search, filters, statistics, text and QR code actions, widgets, the Open Camera control, up to two folders, and export to Photos. Your privacy is not a feature. It is the foundation.

About

SnapTemp

Features
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Keep your camera roll organized, starting with the photos you only need for a little while. SnapTemp is the auto-delete camera for useful photos and videos β€” not memories. Capture what you need, keep it separate from Apple Photos, and let it disappear on a schedule you choose. Already have a cluttered photo library? Use Photo Review to browse by month or album, organize your photos, and choose unwanted items to delete. Scan QR codes directly from the camera or a photo when you need quick information. FOR THE LITTLE THINGS YOU NEED RIGHT NOW β€’ Delivery and takeout receipts until the refund, return, or expense is settled β€’ Parking level, gate, locker, and room details until you are back β€’ Return labels, package details, and pickup information until the job is done β€’ Price comparisons, measurements, and product labels while you are deciding β€’ Whiteboards, meeting notes, and temporary work references β€’ Short videos that are useful today, but not worth keeping forever TAKE IT. USE IT. LET IT GO. Every capture starts in SnapTemp instead of instantly filling Apple Photos. Choose how long it should stay available, then get a reminder before it expires. Review the temporary library anytime and decide what to keep, share, or remove. SAVE THE KEEPERS β€” WITHOUT CONFUSION When something matters, save a copy to Apple Photos or share it from SnapTemp. A copy you save to Photos never auto-deletes. Only SnapTemp's local temporary copy follows the expiry schedule. YOUR TEMPORARY CAMERA WORKFLOW β€’ Take photos and videos without adding every shot to Photos β€’ Choose a default lifetime or adjust it when plans change β€’ See upcoming expiry in a clear, time-based queue β€’ Save, share, or delete individual items whenever you choose β€’ Keep temporary media separate from the photos you want to remember β€’ Scan QR codes from the camera when you need quick reference OPTIONAL PRO UPGRADE Unlock longer retention choices, a specific delete date, unlimited multi-select, and more watermark controls with a one-time purchase. SnapTemp keeps the useful details close β€” and the temporary clutter out of your photo library.

Screenshots

Ephemeral Trace4 screens
SnapTemp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ephemeral Trace at every 11 days against SnapTemp's every 3 weeks. SnapTemp's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Ephemeral Trace sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SnapTemp sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ephemeral Trace ships an update every 11 days, SnapTemp every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Ephemeral Trace versus SnapTemp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEphemeral TraceSnapTemp
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 11 days β€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size10 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEphemeral Trace LDA依欒 ε­™

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Ephemeral Trace

One-time1
  • Ephemeral Trace Pro$9.99
1 purchases

SnapTemp

One-time1
  • SnapTemp Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Ephemeral Trace free?
Ephemeral Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SnapTemp free?
SnapTemp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ephemeral Trace or SnapTemp have ads?
Neither Ephemeral Trace nor SnapTemp shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ephemeral Trace or SnapTemp?
Ephemeral Trace ships an update every 11 days, and SnapTemp every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ephemeral Trace was updated on November 5, 2026 and SnapTemp on November 5, 2026.

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