# theLAB vs Chromis

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | theLAB | Chromis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thelab-mobile/id6781197507/reviews) | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromis/id6794548835/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 301 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Caleb Salvadori](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781197509) | [Ramsey Thomas](https://appshunter.io/developer/6794548837) |

## What reviewers say

### theLAB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thelab-mobile/id6781197507)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| theLAB Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| theLAB Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| theLAB Pro Lifetime | $74.99 | one-time |


### Chromis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromis/id6794548835)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is theLAB free?

theLAB is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chromis free?

Chromis costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, theLAB or Chromis?

theLAB and Chromis are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do theLAB or Chromis have ads?

Neither theLAB nor Chromis shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, theLAB or Chromis?

theLAB ships an update every 3 days, and Chromis fortnightly. Most recently, theLAB was updated on November 5, 2026 and Chromis on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*