Comparison

RetroCam vs ByFlashback

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

Head to head
About

RetroCam

Capture and edit nostalgic moments with vintage filters and frames. Add ethereal glows and light leaks to your photos. Import existing images to apply retro effects and enhance them with aesthetic borders.

Highlights
  • Live vintage filters
  • Aura and light leak effects
  • Photo import and editing
  • Polaroid frames
  • Burst mode
  • Home screen shortcuts
  • Photo calendar widget
Features
Read full description

Experience the Golden Age of Photography with Retro Cam. Reimagined for the iOS 26 Liquid Glass era, Retro Cam brings the soul of analog photography to your modern iPhone. We’ve stripped away the clutter to focus on what matters: capturing and editing nostalgic moments with a single tap. NEW: 15 ICONIC RETRO CAMERAS Our biggest update ever. We’ve added 15 meticulously crafted filters to our collection: 7 Digital Classics: Relive the 2000s with the CCD 2MP, T730, UltraZoom 3MP, V10, TG4, UDC-7M, and GX100. 8 Film & Instant Looks: From the warm gold of the Gold 200 to the raw aesthetic of BW Push, Flash35, and Instant, capture the real character of every era. AURA, LIGHT LEAK & FLARE COLLECTION Step beyond the basics. Our newest filter groups—Aura Mood, Flare, and Light Leaks—add ethereal glows and organic light flares to your shots. Whether it’s a dreamy haze or a classic film burn, your photos will pulse with life. PRO PHOTO EDITOR & FRAMES Retro Cam is no longer just for live shooting. Import any photo from your library to apply our signature Retro FX and Black & White filters. Finish your masterpiece with aesthetic Polaroid frames for that authentic physical-photo look. SMART CAPTURE & SHORTCUTS Live Preview: See your vintage grain and warm tones in real-time before you snap. Burst Mode: High-speed sequences with analog soul. Instant Shortcuts: Launch the camera, editor, or specific filters directly from your Home Screen. iOS 26 LIQUID GLASS WIDGETS Our most powerful widgets yet. Track your Photo Activity Grid and Calendar with a stunning, translucent design that blends perfectly with your OS. Stay inspired by seeing your creative history at a glance. STAY INSPIRED Photo Calendar: A visual log of your photography journey. Daily Reminders: Build a habit of visual storytelling. Interactive Onboarding: Learn to master your retro tools and widget setup in seconds. MODERN & RELIABLE Accessibility Support: Fully inclusive design for all photographers. Optimized Performance: Lightning-fast, lag-free, and easy on your battery. Privacy First: No unnecessary tracking - just you and your art. Subscription Information: Weekly Pro Auto-renewable Yearly Pro Auto-renewable Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://techchee.com/apps/InstaLiveFX/privacy-policy

About

ByFlashback

Features
Read full description

Make ordinary photos feel like they came from a favorite old camera. Flashback is a retro camera and photo editor for digicam flash, film grain, instant color, and imperfect little memories. SHOOT OR IMPORT Capture with your phone or bring in a photo from your library. Choose a look before you shoot, then keep the moment moving. DIAL IN THE MEMORY Tune flash intensity, grain, softness, vignette, date stamps, and crop. Compare before and after until the frame feels right. BUILD YOUR CAMERA SHELF Explore illustrated digicam, instant, film, and video cameras. Load a film roll, expose 24 frames, then wash the roll when you are ready. KEEP IT LOCAL Edit offline with local-first processing. Save finished frames to Photos and share them with friends. Flashback is for people who miss the happy accidents: soft flash, creamy tones, grain, glow, and a little less perfection. EULA (Apple Standard Terms of Use): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Use: https://byflashback.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://byflashback.com/privacy FLASHBACK PLUS Choose a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase where offered. Sign in with Apple or Google for account-linked Plus access and protected save/share actions. Restore eligible prior purchases from Profile or the paywall. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled in your Apple Account subscription settings.

Screenshots

RetroCam4 screens
ByFlashback4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RetroCam at 4.9 against ByFlashback's 1.0. RetroCam also leads on ratings volume (70 vs 1). ByFlashback's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). 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. RetroCam sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and ByFlashback sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RetroCam holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RetroCam has 70 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RetroCam ships an update every 3 weeks, ByFlashback every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
RetroCam versus ByFlashback: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetroCamByFlashback
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (70 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews97.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings70 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB236 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChee Ket YungLong Do

In-app purchases

3 purchases

RetroCam

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Pro3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Yearly Pro$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$12.99
3 purchases

ByFlashback

Subscriptions2
  • Flashback Plus Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Flashback Plus Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Flashback Plus Lifetime$149.99

Questions

Is RetroCam free?
RetroCam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ByFlashback free?
ByFlashback is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RetroCam or ByFlashback?
RetroCam is rated higher. RetroCam averages 4.9 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while ByFlashback averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do RetroCam or ByFlashback have ads?
Neither RetroCam nor ByFlashback shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RetroCam or ByFlashback?
RetroCam ships an update every 3 weeks, and ByFlashback every 4 days. Most recently, RetroCam was updated on October 23, 2026 and ByFlashback on October 31, 2026.

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