Comparison

Mote vs Video Effects Camera

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

Head to head
About

Mote

This app uses live hand tracking to apply dynamic visual effects to your videos. Create unique content with frame filters that react to your hand movements and music beats. New effects are added weekly, with options for both free and premium users.

Highlights
  • Live hand tracking camera
  • Dynamic frame filters
  • Music beat synchronization
  • Automatic 4-cut Frame Strip generation
  • Weekly new effect drops
  • On-device processing for privacy
Features
Read full description

Mote is a live hand tracking camera. Make an L with each hand and only the space between your fingers changes: Invert, Rainbow, Glitch, Comic, Pop or Pixel, switching on the beat while you record. HAND FRAME • Hold up two L's with a gap between them and the frame opens • Six looks inside the frame, switching at 90, 120 or 150 BPM • Tap the screen to hold the look you like • Tilt your hands and the frame tilts with them EVERY TAKE, TWO RESULTS • A clip ready for your feed and Stories • An automatic 4-cut Frame Strip • Save to Photos in one tap A NEW DROP EVERY FRIDAY • A new trending hand effect lands every Friday • Record it that week and it stays in your collection • Past drops include Bubble, Lightning and Stars FREE AND PRO • Free: this week's drop and every drop you caught, 15-second takes with a small watermark • Mote Pro: every drop including missed ones, 60-second takes, no watermark PRIVATE BY DESIGN Hand tracking runs on your device. Camera frames are not uploaded, and you never need an account. ABOUT MOTE PRO Mote Pro is optional. It is available as a weekly subscription (with a 3-day free trial when you are eligible), an annual subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Prices are shown in the app before you buy. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase, or when the free trial ends. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; the renewal is charged within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Restore previous purchases anytime in the app. Privacy Policy: https://www.secondearth.io/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.secondearth.io/terms

About

Video Effects Camera

Features
Read full description

Turn movement into light. Pulse is a video-only effects camera that transforms motion into live echoes, trails, clones, flashes, and tunnels. See every effect while you shoot, then trim, save, or share the result in seconds. NEW IN PULSE 1.2 - Mercury turns skin into liquid metal that reflects the room - Opal lays soap-film color across the picture in pastel bands - Star Flare throws a long anamorphic streak off every highlight - Etched puts the lights out and keeps only the outlines, cut into dark glass - Projection finds you with a cold projector and dims everything else 25 LIVE EFFECTS - Light Echo and Motion Trail leave movement hanging in the frame - Rainbow Trail paints movement with rainbow light, and Time Stack leaves a row of afterimages - Neon Clone and Shadow Double split you into bold afterimages - Prism Delay and RGB Whip pull color channels through time - Neon Trace draws glowing outlines that slowly fade - Beat Strobe, Freeze Flash, Scan Pulse, and Solar Burn add rhythmic impact - Datamosh and VHS Rewind break the frame into glitch blocks and tape wobble - Feedback Tunnel, Kaleido Beat, Vortex Trail, Liquid Echo, and Slit Drift reshape the live frame - Mercury, Opal, Star Flare, Etched, and Projection work the surface itself STUDIO LIGHT AND DUAL CAM - Studio Light turns the edge of your screen into a neon light that lights your face in the dark. Six colors, three power levels, and the camera preview stays full screen. - Dual Cam records with the front and back cameras at once, picture-in-picture or split screen, with your effect on both. BUILT FOR VIDEO - Swipe left or right on the camera preview to change effects - Open the Effect Deck to see all 25 looks at once - Adjust effect intensity with one direct signal control - Switch between front and rear cameras, or use both at once with Dual Cam - The controls fold away while you record, so the frame stays clear - Record clips with sound, or silent clips when microphone access is off FINISH AND SHARE - Trim a recording to the moment you want - Preview at 0.5x, 1x, or 2x speed - Save to Photos or use the standard iOS share sheet - Send a video directly to Instagram Stories when Instagram is installed PULSE PRO Studio Light and Dual Cam are included for everyone. Light Echo, Motion Trail, and Beat Strobe are free to export. Everyone can preview, tune, record, and edit all 25 effects; exporting a clip made with any of the other 22 effects requires Pulse Pro. Free recordings can be up to 8 seconds and exported videos include a Pulse watermark. Pulse Pro unlocks export for 22 Pro effects, extends recordings to 15 seconds, and removes the Pulse watermark from exports. Choose an auto-renewing monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Available plans and prices are shown before purchase. Your Apple Account is charged at confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account subscription settings. YOUR VIDEO STAYS ON YOUR IPHONE Pulse processes camera frames, audio, effects, edits, and exports on your device. Pulse does not upload your camera feed or recorded clips. No account is required. Privacy Policy: https://pentarab.com/pulse/privacy Terms of Service: https://pentarab.com/pulse/terms Support: https://pentarab.com/pulse/support

Screenshots

Mote4 screens
Video Effects Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Mote at 16.4 against Video Effects Camera's 26.0. On price, update cadence, 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. Mote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and Video Effects Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mote ships an update weekly, Video Effects Camera every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Mote versus Video Effects Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMoteVideo Effects Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSecondEarth AI, Inc.Pentarab

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Mote

Subscriptions2
  • Mote Pro3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Mote Pro (Annual)$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Mote Pro Lifetime$49.99
3 purchases

Video Effects Camera

Subscriptions2
  • Pulse Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Pulse Pro Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pulse Pro$24.99

Questions

Is Mote free?
Mote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Video Effects Camera free?
Video Effects Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Mote or Video Effects Camera have ads?
Neither Mote nor Video Effects Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mote or Video Effects Camera?
Mote ships an update weekly, and Video Effects Camera every 5 days. Most recently, Mote was updated on November 6, 2026 and Video Effects Camera on November 6, 2026.

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