Comparison

Retro Cam vs Surface Camera

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

Head to head
About

Retro Cam

Transform your photos into vintage instant prints with unique film looks and frames. Add handwritten captions and organize your memories on a virtual wall. Share your creations or save them for later.

Highlights
  • Vintage film looks
  • Instant-photo frames
  • Handwritten captions
  • Virtual memory wall
  • Friend invitations
  • Save and share prints
Features
Read full description

Turn everyday moments into vintage instant photos. Take a shot, watch the print slide out, and shake your phone to develop it. • Film looks and instant-photo frames • Add a handwritten caption to your photo • Keep your memories on a Wall with retro colors and fabrics • Invite a friend by link or QR — your first friend is free • Save your finished prints or share them with your favorite apps Start with free photo credits. Premium unlocks unlimited photos, unlimited friends and Walls, 30+ premium themes, and watermark-free exports. Eligible new subscribers can try the monthly Premium plan free for 3 days. After the trial, the monthly subscription renews at the price shown before purchase. Annual Premium is also available. Cancel at least 24 hours before the trial or subscription period ends to avoid renewal. Manage subscriptions in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Payment is handled by Apple; trial eligibility and local prices appear in the app. Terms of Use: https://retro.blixartai.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://retro.blixartai.com/privacy

About

Surface Camera

Capture photos with a vintage film aesthetic using a variety of distinct film profiles. Fine-tune your shots with editing tools and save directly to your photo library.

Highlights
  • Eight distinct film profiles
  • Adjustable blur and light leaks
  • Manual focus and exposure control
  • Comprehensive editing suite
  • Direct saving to Apple Photos
  • HEIC, JPEG, and ProRAW capture
Features
Read full description

A film camera for iPhone. Choose your film. Compose the frame. Make the photograph. Surface brings eight distinct film profiles to your iPhone, with the look visible in the viewfinder before you shoot. Add blur or light leaks, take control of focus and exposure, and save directly to Apple Photos. FIND YOUR FILM Four black-and-white profiles: Selenium 400, Bromide 125, Metol 125, and Palladium 3200. Four color profiles: Chroma 100, Tonal 400, Radian 400, and Prism 100. Your chosen profile becomes part of the photograph at capture. Editing refines that photograph while keeping its film. SHAPE THE FRAME Position blur and adjust its strength. Add a light leak, then randomize it to explore a different color and pattern. Tap to focus, adjust exposure, and use focus peaking. Flash, a timer, and slow shutter are close at hand. EDIT IN SURFACE Adjust Exposure, Contrast, Blacks, Whites, Saturation, Warmth, Tint, Grain, Halation, and Vignette. Crop and straighten, undo and redo, and save your edits back to Photos. ONE PHOTO LIBRARY Captures and edits live in Apple Photos. Browse your Surface photographs, import photos for editing, share favorites, and manage your collection without maintaining a second library. CAPTURE YOUR WAY Choose HEIC, JPEG, or Apple ProRAW on supported iPhones. Capture at 12, 24, or 48 MP depending on your hardware and settings. ProRAW supports 12 or 48 MP. Open the viewfinder from Siri, Shortcuts, the Lock Screen, or Control Center. MADE FOR YOUR IPHONE Film rendering and editing happen on your device. No Surface account, ads, or tracking. Apple services handle purchases, optional iCloud Photos sync, and location-name lookup. Available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean. Requires iOS 18 or later. Camera features vary by iPhone model. MEMBERSHIP Choose a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Purchases are handled by Apple. Subscriptions renew unless canceled through your Apple Account settings. Local prices are shown before purchase. Privacy Policy: https://surfacecamera.app/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Retro Cam3 screens
Surface Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Surface Camera at 5.0 against Retro Cam's 4.0. Surface Camera also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Retro Cam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Surface Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Surface Camera holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retro Cam ships an update every 2 weeks, Surface Camera every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Retro Cam versus Surface Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetro CamSurface Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB80 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSABAHATTIN MAKINECarlos Tarrats

Customer experience

Retro Cam

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Surface Camera

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Retro Cam

Subscriptions2
  • Retro Cam Premium$4.991 Month
  • Premium Retro Cam$29.991 Year
3 purchases

Surface Camera

Subscriptions2
  • Surface Monthly$1.491 Month
  • Surface Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Surface Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Retro Cam free?
Retro Cam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Surface Camera free?
Surface Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Retro Cam or Surface Camera?
Surface Camera is rated higher. Retro Cam averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Surface Camera averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Retro Cam or Surface Camera have ads?
Neither Retro Cam nor Surface Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Retro Cam or Surface Camera?
Retro Cam ships an update every 2 weeks, and Surface Camera every 2 days. Most recently, Retro Cam was updated on October 14, 2026 and Surface Camera on October 19, 2026.

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