Comparison

Flashbulb vs Dearstill

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

Head to head
About

Flashbulb

Features
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Flashbulb is a shared camera for trips with friends. Start a roll together. Take photos when prompted. Nobody sees a single one until it develops when you get home. No previews. No retakes. No endless camera roll. Just the moment. Create a shared roll with friends or a personal roll for yourself. Capture moments across a vacation, a month, a season, or everyday life, then wait for the photos to develop later. Load a roll, take photos when prompted, and let anticipation do the rest. Every frame stays sealed until it develops into a memory reel you can revisit later. Whether you're traveling with friends, taking a road trip, spending a summer abroad, or simply paying more attention to the everyday, Flashbulb helps you capture what it actually felt like to be there. During a roll, Flashbulb sends occasional prompts at unexpected moments. Whatever is happening becomes part of the story: airport floors, late-night trains, rainy windows, half-eaten dinners, quiet mornings, familiar streets, the strange in-between moments you would have forgotten otherwise. When the roll develops, your photos are revealed together as a chronological memory reel. FEATURES β€’ Shared rolls Create collaborative disposable-camera rolls with friends. β€’ Personal rolls Capture a week, month, season, or chapter of your life. β€’ Sealed photos Frames stay hidden until they develop later. β€’ Random prompts Receive occasional prompts to capture real moments as they happen. β€’ One-shot photography No retakes. No reviewing. Just the moment. β€’ Film-inspired aesthetic Inspired by disposable cameras and analog photography. β€’ Memory reels Relive your roll as a chronological story. β€’ Private by default Only you or invited participants can view a developed roll.

About

Dearstill

Read full description

A camera for the days you'll miss. Dearstill turns everyday photographs into warm, lasting memories with 104 original film looks. Capture a new moment or import one through Apple's photo picker, choose a film mood, adjust its strength, and keep the result in your private Dearstill Roll. - 104 original film looks across thirteen categories, all included - Travel and Experimental collections, plus Favorites and Recent looks - 3- or 10-second self-timer and an optional composition grid - Tune exposure, warmth, grain, and light leaks in the Lab - Save personal recipes and reuse them on your next photo - Analog character: halation, light leaks, split tones, and grain - Instant, Street, and Seasons shelves alongside Daylight, Portrait, Night, B&W, Cinema, Compact, Nostalgia, and Dream - Real camera capture plus private photo import - 4:3, 1:1, and 9:16 framing - Focus, flash, zoom, exposure, and optional date stamp - On-device development with no account, ads, analytics, or uploads - Add-only export to Photos when you choose Pay once. No subscription and no in-app purchases.

Screenshots

Flashbulb4 screens
Dearstill4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flashbulb at none against Dearstill's 2. On price, update cadence, ads 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. Dearstill sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. Flashbulb asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Flashbulb versus Dearstill: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlashbulbDearstill
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better16.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size35 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developereduard cloeteNomadiq

In-app purchases

None

Flashbulb

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Dearstill

Subscriptions1
  • Dearstill Pro μ—°κ°„ ꡬ독$3.991 Year
One-time1
  • Dearstill Pro 평생 이용ꢌ$9.99

Questions

Is Flashbulb free?
Flashbulb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dearstill free?
Dearstill is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Flashbulb or Dearstill have ads?
Neither Flashbulb nor Dearstill shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Flashbulb or Dearstill?
Flashbulb ships an update every 3 days, and Dearstill every 3 days. Most recently, Flashbulb was updated on November 10, 2026 and Dearstill on November 10, 2026.

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