theLAB vs Chromis
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
theLAB
Create film-inspired photos with advanced controls for color, texture, and scan effects. Apply realistic grain, borders, and light leaks to achieve a unique aesthetic. Save custom editing styles for consistent results.
- Film-inspired color and monochrome looks
- Scanned grain and cinema-style grain
- Lab scan profiles and correction
- Halation, borders, textures, light leaks
- Customizable editing styles
- Camera capture and import tools
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theLAB is a film-inspired photo editor for building finished images with color, texture, and scan character. Import an image, then shape it with film looks, scanned grain, lab-style color, halation, borders, paper textures, light leaks, artifacts, and crop tools. Designed for photographers who want more than a simple filter, theLAB gives you hands-on control over the feel of the image: density, warmth, tone bias, grain range, scan character, border placement, and finishing details. Features include: - Film-inspired color and monochrome looks - Scanned grain and cinema-style grain options - Lab scan profiles and scan correction controls - Halation, scanner noise, borders, textures, light leaks, and artifacts - Camera capture, photo import, file import, and share tools - Saved looks for building a repeatable editing style theLAB includes a free editing mode. theLAB Pro unlocks the full film stock library, advanced lab controls, additional grain scans, premium finishing assets, and high-quality export options. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://calebsalvadori.com/thelab
Chromis
This app offers professional filmmaking tools on your iPhone, allowing you to shoot in Apple Log with manual controls and grade footage with advanced color tools. It provides a streamlined workflow for creating cinematic content directly on your mobile device.
- Apple Log and ProRes recording
- Manual camera controls
- Live histogram and composition grids
- LUT preview and professional color grading
- RGB curves and HSL secondaries
- Media organization and export
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Chromis Shoot. Grade. Create. Chromis is a professional filmmaking camera built for creators who want complete control from capture to final color—all on their iPhone. Record in Apple Log with professional manual controls, preview your footage with LUTs that never bake into your recording, and finish your grade using desktop-inspired color tools without ever leaving the app. At just 9MB, Chromis leaves all your iPhone storage exactly where it belongs—for your high-bitrate ProRes and Apple Log footage. Experience zero bloat, lightning-fast launch times, and maximum hardware performance. Whether you’re creating cinematic travel films, short films, social content, or visual effects shots, Chromis provides a complete mobile workflow. Professional Camera • Apple Log recording • ProRes recording • Manual ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and focus • Live histogram • Horizon level • Composition grid • Preview LUTs • Seamless lens switching during recording • Optional camera tracking while recording • Blender camera tracking export Professional Color Grading • Primary color adjustments • RGB curves • HSL secondaries • Professional LUT support • 3 built-in LUTs for an instant film aesthetic • Built-in and custom LUTs • Waveform, RGB histogram, and vectorscope • Save and reuse custom Looks • Non-destructive editing • Before/after comparison Media Management • Organize clips • Favorites • Rename • Export • Easily identify graded clips Chromis combines professional capture and advanced color grading into one streamlined filmmaking workflow.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: theLAB at Free against Chromis's $2.99. theLAB also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly) and ratings volume (14 vs 4). Chromis's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On rating, review sentiment, ads 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
theLAB is free to download; Chromis costs $2.99 up front. theLAB sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Chromis asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for theLAB against 5.0 for Chromis. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
theLAB ships an update every 3 days, Chromis fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | theLAB | Chromis |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (14 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 301 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Caleb Salvadori | Ramsey Thomas |
Customer experience
theLAB
Chromis
In-app purchases
theLAB
- theLAB Pro Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
- theLAB Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
- theLAB Pro Lifetime$74.99
Chromis
No in-app purchases









