# theLAB vs LumaStage

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LumaStage at none against theLAB's 3. LumaStage also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). theLAB's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 days). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. theLAB sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. LumaStage asks for nothing beyond the download.

theLAB ships an update every 3 days, LumaStage every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | theLAB | LumaStage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thelab-mobile/id6781197507/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 301 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Caleb Salvadori](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781197509) | [VENNO PLOOM](https://appshunter.io/developer/6816930170) |

## 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 |


### LumaStage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumastage/id6816930168)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is theLAB free?

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

### Is LumaStage free?

LumaStage is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do theLAB or LumaStage have ads?

Neither theLAB nor LumaStage shows ads.

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

theLAB ships an update every 3 days, and LumaStage every 6 days. Most recently, theLAB was updated on November 10, 2026 and LumaStage 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.*