NightCap Camera vs Solar Snap
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NightCap Camera
Capture stunning low-light and night photos and videos with advanced features like long exposure, AI-powered controls, and specialized astrophotography modes. Achieve DSLR-like results and unlock your device's full potential in challenging lighting conditions.
- Low light and night photo/video capture
- Long exposure and motion blur effects
- Astrophotography modes (stars, aurora, ISS, meteors)
- AI camera control for automatic settings
- Manual gesture-based adjustments
- 4K time lapse recording
- ISO Boost for brighter low-light shots
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Photograph star trails or stunning smooth waterfalls. Capture a meteor mid-streak or traffic with light trails. And clear, detailed photos where there’s barely any light at all. One-time purchase, no subscription. ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY Four modes that automatically set the camera up for you. - Star Trails: watch the stars draw circles overhead - Meteors: automatic capture of shooting stars - ISS: the International Space Station passing over - Stars: starry skies and the Milky Way - New in version 10: Aurora, a time-lapse mode for the Northern and Southern Lights LONG EXPOSURE Hold the shutter open for seconds or minutes and movement becomes light. - Long Exposure: motion blur, or a cleaner shot when you hold still - Light Trails: traffic at night, fireworks, light painting - Both as time-lapse too, up to 4K with adjustable speed LOW LIGHT - ISO Boost for up to 4x beyond the standard camera range - Light Boost - Noise Reduction - Night Mode video and timelapse HANDHELD New in version 10. NightCap steadies and aligns every frame as you shoot, so long exposures no longer need a tripod. MANUAL CONTROL - Swipe to adjust exposure, ISO, focus and white balance - Camera Control on iPhone 16 and later - Zoom to 16x - Black and white mode Also includes an interval programmer, self-timer, and an Apple Watch app with live preview and remote control.
Solar Snap
Capture stunning photos of the sun and solar eclipses with this comprehensive app. It includes a camera filter system and an offline simulator with detailed eclipse information and timings for global events. Prepare for upcoming eclipses with expert guidance.
- Solar eclipse photography
- Camera filter integration
- Offline global eclipse simulator
- Detailed eclipse timings
- Expert video instructions
- Sun photography filter
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Everything you need for the next solar eclipse, all in one app! Introducing Solar Snap: a camera filter + app combo that can help you take amazing photos of the sun, whether there’s an eclipse, or any other day. Simply attach the filter to your phone, open Solar Snap, and snap away! Solar Snap also includes an interactive, offline global solar eclipse simulator, with detailed information and times to prepare you for the next eclipse, no matter where you are, where you are going, even if you don't have a signal! Solar Snap can be used with our Solar Snap filter kit available at: https://www.eclipseglasses.com/products/solar-snap-the-eclipse-app. This filter protects your phone camera from damage by the bright sun. You may optionally re-use old eclipse glasses by cutting a pair in half and taping it over your camera lens. Video instructions by Astronomer Doug Duncan included in the app. Total solar eclipses are crossing Europe and the Middle East in 2026 and 2027. Get ready!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Solar Snap at 4.7 against NightCap Camera's 4.3. Solar Snap also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 51%) and price ($1.99 vs $2.99). NightCap Camera's advantage is chart position (#17 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
NightCap Camera costs $2.99 and Solar Snap $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Solar Snap holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3K and 6.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of NightCap Camera's written reviews are positive against 71% of Solar Snap's.
NightCap Camera ships an update every 3 weeks, Solar Snap every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NightCap Camera | Solar Snap |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (3K ratings) | 4.7 (6.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | 71.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3K | 6.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #17 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RTD | Rise Up Games |
Customer experience
NightCap Camera
Solar Snap
User reviews
NightCap Camera
From 3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great for astrophotography
- 👍 Excellent night/low light photography
- 💡 Powerful manual controls
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Produces high-quality results
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes on newer devices
- 🐛 Focus issues on iPhone 7+
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 👎 Unintuitive user interface
- 👎 Disappointing results for some users
Solar Snap
From 6.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 High-quality and stable app
- 🚀 Excellent for capturing eclipse photos
- 🔍 Powerful camera controls (focus, zoom, exposure)
- 🤖 Automatic total eclipse mode works great
- 📸 Produces clear, crisp photos
Room to improve
- 🐛 Issues with photos not being saved
- 🤔 Automatic lighting changes made photos terrible
- 🤷♂️ Struggled to capture partial eclipse stages
- 🧭 No option to use front-facing camera
Bugs and requests
NightCap Camera
Reported bugs
3 issues- Photos not saving properly
- Meteor mode not working as expected
- Compatibility issues with iOS 8 and iPhone 6 Plus
Requested features
5 requests- RAW image support
- Bluetooth remote shutter control
- Ability to save settings
- More exposure options
- Improved timelapse features
Solar Snap
Reported bugs
2 issues- Photos permission required error
- Velcro mount issues causing distortion
Requested features
3 requests- Add remote shutter support (e.g., Bluetooth, Apple Watch)
- Support for external lenses/telescopes
- Ability to select camera lens on multi-camera phones
In-app purchases
NightCap Camera
No in-app purchases
Solar Snap
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NightCap Camera free?
Is Solar Snap free?
Which has better reviews, NightCap Camera or Solar Snap?
Do NightCap Camera or Solar Snap have ads?
Which is updated more often, NightCap Camera or Solar Snap?
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