# Halide Mark III vs Affinity Photo 2 for iPad

The clearest difference is update cadence: Halide Mark III at weekly against Affinity Photo 2 for iPad's every 6 weeks. Halide Mark III also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid) and chart position (#152 vs unranked). Affinity Photo 2 for iPad's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Halide Mark III sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Affinity Photo 2 for iPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Affinity Photo 2 for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 3.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Halide Mark III's written reviews are positive against 43% of Affinity Photo 2 for iPad's.

Halide Mark III ships an update weekly, Affinity Photo 2 for iPad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Halide Mark III | Affinity Photo 2 for iPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halide-mark-iii-pro-camera/id885697368/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/affinity-photo-2-for-ipad/id1616823773/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 3.2K |
| Positive reviews | 41.1% of reviews | **43.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#152** | — |
| Size | 87 MB | 1.7 GB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lux Optics Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/885697371) | [Serif (Europe) Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/536107177) |

## What reviewers say

### Halide Mark III

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halide-mark-iii-pro-camera/id885697368)

**Currently charting:** #152 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #203 Top Free · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app offers advanced manual camera controls and unique image processing for natural, film-like photos. It provides tools for precise focus, composition, and editing, allowing users to capture and refine professional-quality images directly on their iPhone.

**Highlights:** Manual exposure controls, Focus Peaking and Loupe, Customizable framing guides, Dedicated Macro Mode, Photographic Looks, RAW file support, Photo Lab editing

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Camera, Editor, and Lessons | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Camera, Editor, and Lessons | $19.99 | per year |
| One Time Purchase | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful manual controls
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 🔍 Excellent RAW capture and editing
- 📷 Macro and depth features
- 🎨 Great image quality and color

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Depth/portrait mode limitations
- 🕰️ Slow performance on older devices
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Lack of free trial or demo

**Reported bugs**

- Photos not saving properly
- Zoom functionality issues
- Landscape mode UI problems

**Requested features**

- Shutter speed adjustment
- Live depth/bokeh preview
- Custom white balance
- Time-lapse and video recording
- Ability to save settings/presets


### Affinity Photo 2 for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/affinity-photo-2-for-ipad/id1616823773)

A professional-grade photo editor for iPad, offering advanced tools for editing, retouching, and creating complex designs. It supports a wide range of file formats and color spaces, with optimized performance for iPad hardware and Apple Pencil.

**Highlights:** Non-destructive editing, Advanced masking tools, RAW image development, Layer support, Object removal, PSD file compatibility, 16-bit and 32-bit color editing

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photo 2 for iPad License | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 💡 Robust photo editing capabilities
- 👍 Great value for the price
- 🚀 Efficient workflows
- 👍 Seamless integration with iPad

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Buggy performance
- 👎 Confusing UI and navigation
- 👎 Lack of basic functionality
- 👎 Unstable after update

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when adjusting white balance
- Issues with importing and opening photos
- Brush tools not working as expected
- Layers and masks not functioning properly
- Exporting issues causing loss of work

**Requested features**

- Auto subject selection
- Improved help and documentation
- Better file management and export options
- Support for more RAW formats
- Astrophotography tools like the desktop version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Halide Mark III free?

Halide Mark III is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Affinity Photo 2 for iPad free?

Affinity Photo 2 for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Halide Mark III or Affinity Photo 2 for iPad?

Affinity Photo 2 for iPad is rated higher. Halide Mark III averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Affinity Photo 2 for iPad averages 4.6 from 3.2K ratings.

### Do Halide Mark III or Affinity Photo 2 for iPad have ads?

Neither Halide Mark III nor Affinity Photo 2 for iPad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Halide Mark III or Affinity Photo 2 for iPad?

Halide Mark III ships an update weekly, and Affinity Photo 2 for iPad every 6 weeks. Most recently, Halide Mark III was updated on November 8, 2026 and Affinity Photo 2 for iPad on November 7, 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.*