Comparison

Scatto vs Pure Camera

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

Head to head
About

Scatto

Features
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Scatto is two tools in one: a full RAW editor for your whole library and a camera built for photographers. A FULL RAW EDITOR — FOR EVERY PHOTO Open any photo in your library, including RAW files from your DSLR or mirrorless, and develop it like in a digital darkroom. RAW files are redeveloped from the negative on every adjustment: exposure, white balance, sharpening and noise reduction work inside development itself, where quality is highest. • Light: exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites and blacks • Color: white balance, tint, vibrance with protected skin tones, saturation • Master and per-channel R, G, B tone curves • Eight HSL bands: hue, saturation and luminance, color by color • Detail: sharpening, luminance and color noise reduction, clarity • Effects: vignette and grain • Twelve film Looks with adjustable strength • Interactive crop with aspect ratios, straighten, rotation and mirroring Hold to compare before/after, histogram always in view. Non-destructive: every edit exports a new photo and your original is never touched; a pure develop keeps gain-map HDR. A REAL CAMERA A viewfinder that responds like a camera body: tap to focus and expose, hold for AE/AF lock, pinch for continuous zoom, drag to compensate exposure. The shutter is always ready — shoot in quick succession while development happens in the background — and you can also fire with the volume buttons or the Camera Control. JUST LIGHT — RAW, the honest way Capture native Bayer RAW with computation turned almost all the way down: no aggressive HDR, no over-sharpening, no "smart" reprocessing. Your library gets the negative — pure DNG; opt in and an HEIC companion rides along with an adaptive gain map: real HDR with zero tone mapping. In the review, press and hold to compare the same shot against Apple's processing. Apple ProRAW is supported on capable devices. FILM LOOKS, LIVE IN THE VIEWFINDER Twelve film stocks modeled on real references — from '60s slide film to tungsten night negative with its red halation, to black & white pushed to 1600 — shown in real time as you compose. Grain in the midtones, halation, vignetting. Your RAW always stays clean: the look is baked into the HEIC only. MANUAL CONTROLS • Shutter Priority and ISO Priority, plus full Manual with long exposures up to the sensor's real limit • Analog needle light meter and live RGB histogram — free • Focus peaking and zebra stripes on blown highlights • Dedicated Macro mode, gyro level, 3/10s self-timer • Control dials with haptic detents PRIVATE BY DESIGN Scatto collects nothing. Everything happens on your device. No accounts, no analytics, no trackers. Your photos are yours. FREE, AND PRO Free forever: tap to focus and expose, AE/AF lock, continuous zoom, level, self-timer, volume buttons and Camera Control, HEIC or JPEG capture, the analog meter, the live histogram, review with EXIF, two live Film Looks (Chrome 64 and Mono 400), the library gallery and the basic editor (exposure and crop). Scatto Pro unlocks the full editor — advanced light, color, curves, HSL, RAW-level detail, effects and every Look — plus native RAW / Just Light and ProRAW, Manual / Shutter / ISO Priority with long exposures, manual white balance and focus, focus peaking, zebras, macro, film aspect ratios and advanced grids. Scatto Pro is available as a yearly subscription with a 7-day free trial, a monthly subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://scatto-web-bice.vercel.app/en/privacy/

About

Pure Camera

Features
Read full description

Pure Camera brings authentic true photography to your iPhone. Images are rendered directly from the iPhone’s raw sensor data through a simulated film process rather than applying a filter to a preprocessed photograph. Most camera applications begin with a processed image and apply color grading. Pure Camera utilizes raw sensor data without multi-frame fusion, Smart HDR, sharpening, noise reduction, or upscaling. The result is a photograph developed through an authentic film emulation—incorporating gamma, color separation, interlayer effects, and grain—using traditional darkroom characteristics rather than post-processing adjustments. This unique approach produces authentic, unprocessed images.. Nine Film Stocks Options range from neutral, accurate profiles to saturated slide film, faded prints, motion-picture stock, and high-contrast black-and-white. Each profile is derived from genuine film properties rather than visual inspiration. Manual Control Users have full control over ISO, shutter speed, white balance, exposure compensation, and aspect ratio. Preferred settings may be saved to named banks and selected with a single tap, or the application may be left to manage exposure automatically. Grain as a Variable Grain is a selectable parameter rather than a fixed attribute. Settings include off, weak, normal, and strong; intensity scales realistically with exposure—subtle at low speeds and more pronounced at higher speeds. Reliable Viewfinder The preview is calibrated to match the final developed image, ensuring accurate framing rather than a generic live-view approximation. Pure Camera is designed for photographers who prefer traditional camera behavior: exposure, focus, and composition are user-defined, while the film handles the remainder authentically. Premium The application is fully functional but limited to the primary lens. Access to additional lenses is available via a one-time in-app purchase with family sharing enabled.

Screenshots

Scatto4 screens
Pure Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Scatto at 18.0 against Pure Camera's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Scatto sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Pure Camera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Scatto versus Pure Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScattoPure Camera
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperManuel MinelleGijs Raggers

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Scatto

Subscriptions2
  • Scatto Pro$1.991 Month
  • Scatto Pro7 Days trial$11.991 Year
One-time1
  • Scatto Pro Lifetime$34.99
1 purchases

Pure Camera

One-time1
  • Premium$4.99

Questions

Is Scatto free?
Scatto is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pure Camera free?
Pure Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Scatto or Pure Camera have ads?
Neither Scatto nor Pure Camera shows ads.

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