Comparison

Tapework vs VHS FX Studio

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

Head to head
About

Tapework

Features
Read full description

Tapework turns the video you already have into authentic analog footage — the way it really looked on VHS tape, an 8mm home projector, or a snowy off-air TV. No stickers, no fake overlays: every effect is physically modeled from how the actual hardware degraded the signal. Pick a look, watch it apply to your clip in real time, and export the result with the effect baked permanently into the file — ready for Reels, TikTok, or your camera roll. 11 HAND-MODELED PRESETS • VHS Classic — original VHS SP: head-switching, chroma loss, dropout noise • VHS Long (LP) — degraded chroma, heavier compression artifacts • VHS EP — the heaviest tape degradation, barely-watchable and proud of it • Broadcast Snow — off-air analog TV with snow and ghosting • Broadcast Clean — cable-composite look, minimal artifacts • B-Movie 16mm — heavy film grain with a warm cast • B-Movie 8mm — 8mm projector: extra grain, golden warmth • Hi-Fi VHS — clean luma, only subtle chroma artifacts • Camcorder — 1990s consumer VHS-C, green-tinted and soft • Home Video '70s — early-70s broadcast with prominent scanlines • Home Video '80s — magenta-leaning, oversaturated home tape REAL-TIME, NOT A FILTER SLIDER Everything renders live on the GPU as you scrub. Dial the master Intensity, or open Tweaking to control the individual signal physics — chroma shift and delay, scanlines, head-switching jitter, grain, ringing, vignette, hue and saturation. Save your own combinations as custom presets. EXPORT THAT KEEPS THE LOOK Export up to 4K with the analog effect written into every frame at full quality, with your original audio intact. What you preview is exactly what you get. FREE TO START Use three presets and standard export for free. Upgrade to Pro for all 11 presets, 4K export, no watermark, and every future preset included. WHY IT LOOKS RIGHT Most "VHS" apps paste a semi-transparent PNG over your video. Tapework instead reproduces the analog signal chain — luma/chroma separation, timing errors, tape noise and dropouts — so highlights bloom, colors bleed sideways, and the picture breathes the way real tape does. — Tapework Pro subscription details: • Tapework Pro (Annual) — auto-renewing subscription, $9.99/year • Tapework Pro (Lifetime) — one-time purchase, $19.99 Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. A subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel in your App Store account settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://arturayupov.github.io/tapework-web/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://arturayupov.github.io/tapework-web/privacy.html

About

VHS FX Studio

Features
Read full description

Turn ordinary videos into authentic VHS, CRT, camcorder, and analog-style footage directly on your iPhone. VHS Studio gives you detailed control over the look and feel of your videos with a live preview and an extensive collection of adjustable effects. Create anything from a subtle retro television look to a heavily damaged tape recording. FEATURES • Preview VHS and CRT effects in real time • Apply ready-made presets or build your own custom look • Adjust noise, grain, dust, speckles, scanlines, tracking, warping, jitter, bloom, glow, flicker, color bleed, tape damage, glitches, and more • Preserve the original video shape or choose 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 4:5, or cinematic aspect ratios • Use Fit or Fill framing controls • Loop your video while editing • Export and save directly to Photos • Export in 720p, 1080p, or 4K • Choose 24, 30, or 60 frames per second • Process videos locally on your device • No account required Whether you are creating music videos, social clips, short films, nostalgic home-video effects, or experimental visuals, VHS Studio gives you the tools to create a distinctive analog style.

Screenshots

Tapework4 screens
VHS FX Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VHS FX Studio at none against Tapework's 2. Tapework's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

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

Both are free to download. Tapework sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. VHS FX Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 3 level
Tapework versus VHS FX Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTapeworkVHS FX Studio
PriceFreeFree
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperArtur AiupovOrigin 51 LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Tapework

Subscriptions1
  • Tapework Pro — Annual$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Tapework Pro Lifetime$19.99
None

VHS FX Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tapework free?
Tapework is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VHS FX Studio free?
VHS FX Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tapework or VHS FX Studio have ads?
Neither Tapework nor VHS FX Studio shows ads.

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