Comparison

DepthWeaver vs DotMatrix Studio

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

Head to head
About

DepthWeaver

Create captivating Magic Eye stereograms from your photos and 3D models. Utilize LiDAR, on-device AI, or object scanning to generate depth, then choose from various patterns and fine-tune every aspect for a hidden image that emerges from the noise. All processing is done locally for complete privacy.

Highlights
  • LiDAR live capture
  • AI depth from photos
  • Object scanning with Apple's Object Capture
  • 3D model import
  • Six procedural pattern generators
  • Custom image tile import
  • Extensive tuning options
Read full description

DepthWeaver turns real-world depth into hidden-image stereograms. Capture a scene with the LiDAR scanner, generate depth from any photo with on-device AI, scan a real object with Apple's Object Capture, or load a 3D model — then watch a hidden image rise out of the noise as you cross your eyes. CAPTURE DEPTH FIVE WAYS • LiDAR live capture on iPhone Pro and iPad Pro — point, freeze, done • On-device AI depth from any photo (Depth Anything V2) • Scan real objects with Apple's Object Capture (Pro devices) — guided orbits turn a real object into a .usdz you can orbit and frame • 3D model import — .usdz, .usd, .obj, .scn with an orbit camera so you choose the angle • Bundled height map and 3D model presets to play with right away PICK A PATTERN • Six procedural generators: random dot, stars, Perlin noise, Worley noise, Voronoi cells, reaction-diffusion • Import any image from your photo library as a custom tile • Built-in texture library TUNE EVERY KNOB • DPI, depth strength, separation, oversampling • Remap input and output depth ranges to push the subject forward or back • Denoise quantized 8-bit imports for clean, banding-free output • Invert depth in one tap • Live preview redraws as you slide PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything runs on device. No account, no upload, no tracking, no ads. Your photos and 3D scans never leave your device. UNDER THE HOOD Parallelized implementation of the Thimbleby–Inglis–Witten autostereogram algorithm with W. A. Steer's link-based hidden-surface refinement. Powered by ARKit, Object Capture, Core ML, SceneKit, Metal, and Core Image. Output is upscaled so the minimum dimension is at least 960 px — print-ready or share-ready. SHARE Export high-resolution PNGs to Photos, Messages, AirDrop, or any app with a share sheet. Available in English and French. For iPhone and iPad (iOS 18 or later) and Mac with Apple silicon (macOS 15 or later). LiDAR capture and Object Capture scans are iPhone and iPad only. Capture a scene. Pick a pattern. Stare into it.

About

DotMatrix Studio

Features
Read full description

Your photos, run through a monitoring terminal. DotMatrix Studio turns anything you shoot or import into a 1-bit artifact — the dot-matrix look of VFD displays, old newsprint and station monitors. There is no preset carousel to scroll past: you dial the look in yourself and watch it render live. SHOOT IN 1-BIT A live dithered viewfinder shows you the look before the shutter, not after. Toggle between DOTMATRIX and NORMAL if you would rather frame with the plain camera first, adjust pixel size and palette on the rail, and flip between front and back cameras. THREE FILM STOCKS NEWSPRINT — Floyd–Steinberg error diffusion, the fine scattered grain of a printed photograph. MATRIX — Bayer 8x8 ordered dithering, the regular weave of a hardware display. HALFTONE — real circular dots on a grid, with an adjustable cell size. All three are written by hand for this app and tuned by eye, not borrowed from a library. FOUR PALETTES OXBLOOD, PAPER, PHOSPHOR and AMBER. Each is a two-colour stock with its own accent, from warm terminal red to green phosphor glow. THE DIALS Virtual resolution, 80 to 480 pixels wide, is the chunkiness itself: drop it and the image breaks into big honest dots, raise it and the detail creeps back. Contrast runs -50 to +50. Halftone cell size is adjustable. Scanlines darken every third row. Press and hold the preview to peek at the original underneath. TELEMETRY FRAMES Five frames — ACQUIRED, STATION, SPECIMEN, REC, or none — stamp your artifact with instrument chrome: dates, dither codes, resolution readouts, and a caption of your own. Frame text is drawn at full export resolution, so it is never a pixel-doubled smear. WALLPAPERS Render your artifact at your device's exact pixel size as a lock and home pair, then set it from the Photos app. A LIBRARY THAT STAYS EDITABLE Saved artifacts are parametric: the source photo and every setting are stored together, so reopening one restores the whole editing session. Change your mind about a palette a month later and nothing is lost. EXPORT PNG at 2048px on the long edge. Save to Photos, share anywhere, save as a wallpaper, or keep it in the library. Saving and sharing record the artifact automatically, so an exported image is never a dead end. COMPLETELY OFFLINE There is no network permission in this app at all. No account, no sign-in, no analytics, no ads, no location. Your photos never leave your device, because there is nowhere for them to go.

Screenshots

DepthWeaver4 screens
DotMatrix Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: DotMatrix Studio at 15.0 against DepthWeaver's 18.0. On price, ads, 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.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
DepthWeaver versus DotMatrix Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDepthWeaverDotMatrix Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size122 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGABRIEL JEAN YVES ANNE LANDAISJohn Darkwa

In-app purchases

None

DepthWeaver

No in-app purchases

None

DotMatrix Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DepthWeaver free?
DepthWeaver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DotMatrix Studio free?
DotMatrix Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do DepthWeaver or DotMatrix Studio have ads?
Neither DepthWeaver nor DotMatrix Studio shows ads.

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