# LightBox Extra vs FilmBox by Photomyne

The clearest difference is rating: FilmBox by Photomyne at 4.4 against LightBox Extra's 2.3. FilmBox by Photomyne also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (6.2K vs 19). LightBox Extra's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LightBox Extra sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FilmBox by Photomyne sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FilmBox by Photomyne holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FilmBox by Photomyne has 6.2K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of LightBox Extra's written reviews are positive against 45% of FilmBox by Photomyne's.

LightBox Extra ships an update every 13 months, FilmBox by Photomyne every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightBox Extra | FilmBox by Photomyne |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbox-extra/id825134948/reviews) | **[4.4 (6.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filmbox-by-photomyne/id1495155880/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **6.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.8% of reviews | **45.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SkyCharts LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/300623345) | [Photomyne LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/951627021) |

## What reviewers say

### LightBox Extra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbox-extra/id825134948)

Easily view 35mm negatives and slides on your iOS device. Customize the background for optimal viewing and the app remembers your preferred settings.

**Highlights:** View 35mm negatives and slides, Customizable white background, Background adjusts to negative/slide area, Resizes for all iOS7 devices, Remembers custom box sizes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### FilmBox by Photomyne

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filmbox-by-photomyne/id1495155880)

Transform old film negatives into digital photos with this AI-powered scanner app. Simply use a backlight source and your phone's camera to reveal and scan hidden memories. The app automatically inverts colors and enhances images for optimal results.

**Highlights:** AI-powered negative scanning, Automatic color inversion, Image enhancement, Voice control for capture, Unlimited scanning (premium), Photo backup and sharing (premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited (Monthly) | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Unlimited (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Remove announcements | $0.99 | one-time |
| FilmBox membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited scanning (2 years) | $29.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited scanning (2 years) | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited scanning (2 years) | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Brings old photos back to life
- 👍 Helpful for digitizing family memories
- 👍 Convenient way to scan negatives
- 👍 Good for quick previews before professional scanning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Poor image quality
- 🐛 Inconsistent cropping
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤔 Confusing messaging around pricing and features

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Inability to scan more than a few photos without subscribing
- Inconsistent performance with different lighting setups
- Distortion and blurriness in scanned images

**Requested features**

- Option to disable auto-cropping
- Better color correction and enhancement tools
- Support for more negative sizes and formats
- Ability to save scans without a subscription


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBox Extra free?

LightBox Extra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is FilmBox by Photomyne free?

FilmBox by Photomyne is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, LightBox Extra or FilmBox by Photomyne?

FilmBox by Photomyne is rated higher. LightBox Extra averages 2.3 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while FilmBox by Photomyne averages 4.4 from 6.2K ratings.

### Do LightBox Extra or FilmBox by Photomyne have ads?

FilmBox by Photomyne shows ads; LightBox Extra does not.

### Which is updated more often, LightBox Extra or FilmBox by Photomyne?

LightBox Extra ships an update every 13 months, and FilmBox by Photomyne every 2 months. Most recently, LightBox Extra was updated on October 23, 2026 and FilmBox by Photomyne on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*