Matter vs AR Lightning
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Matter
Enhance your photos by seamlessly integrating 3D objects and applying various visual styles. Adjust shadows and use masking tools for realistic blending. Create animated video loops with dynamic object movements.
- Add 3D objects to photos
- Apply reflective/refractive styles
- Adjust model shadows
- Built-in masking tools
- Create animated video loops
- High-resolution image/video export
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= = = = = Brought to you by the award-winning app development team, Pixite. With Matter, alter the reality of your photos by seamlessly adding unique 3D objects to them. Choose from 4 packs of models ranging from simple geometric shapes to complex, architectural structures. Once you’ve chosen your object, select from a range of visual styles to make it reflective or refractive, opaque or translucent. Output high resolution images and even videos. Make your edits even more realistic by adding and adjusting the model’s shadow. Fine-tune the shadow's position, opacity, and strength. Use the built-in masking tools to erase portions of your model or shadow to seamlessly blend it into your photo's environment. Use the unique video export feature to create short animated loops of the object spinning, pulsing, and hovering in your photo. Adjust the rotation speed and direction for a different effect every time. Make sure to share your Matter edits on Instagram using #matterapp for a chance to be featured.
AR Lightning
Create realistic lightning effects from your fingertips using augmented reality. Control the direction and intensity of the lightning in real-time by changing your hand pose. Save your creations as videos or photos and share them.
- AR hand pose recognition
- Real-time lightning control
- Customizable ray color and power
- Save as video or photo
- Share to social media
- Select photos from camera roll
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●This app recognizes the pose of the hand captured by the AR camera and emits a flashy force lightning ray from the finger. ●Apple's human body image recognition technology is used to recognize hand pose images. ●By changing the pose of the hand, you can freely control the direction and on / off of the light beam in real time. In Star Wars, Sith's Dark Sidious and Count Dooku were fighting the Jedi Knights with this Force Lightning as a weapon. The rays of light emitted from the fingers in the camera are amazing just by looking at them. You can enjoy this Force Lightning effect on the AR screen that is displayed in real time. You can also save the powerful image in a video or photo or share it on SNS. You can even select a photo stored in your camera roll and save it to a video or photo. Let's enjoy the feeling of Star Wars. [Image Selection] - AR camera - Camera shooting: Photograph - Camera roll: Photo [Settings] - Selection of light emitting fingers (common to both hands) - Ray color setting (RGBA slider) - Background brightness - Ray power - Sound effect switch - Video length (5-30 seconds) - Save resolution [output] - Save to camera roll: videos, photos - Video / Photo Sharing: AirDrop, LINE, Facebook, Dropbox, Instagram, ...
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Matter at 82% against AR Lightning's 0%. Matter also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (304 vs 3). AR Lightning's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On ads 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
Matter costs $4.99 and AR Lightning $1.99 up front. Matter sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. AR Lightning asks for nothing beyond the download.
Matter holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Matter has 304 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Matter's written reviews are positive against 0% of AR Lightning's.
Matter ships an update monthly, AR Lightning weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Matter | AR Lightning |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (304 ratings) — better | 2.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 304 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.7 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 335 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pixite Inc. | Masanori Katsuta |
Customer experience
Matter
AR Lightning
Bugs and requests
Matter
Reported bugs
3 issues- Unable to open app or load new projects
- Rendering quality issues, especially on newer devices
- Crashes when trying to add custom audio
Requested features
4 requests- Add option to import custom 3D objects
- Extend video duration beyond 15 seconds
- Improve audio integration with ability to use own music
- Implement layering and depth control for 3D objects
AR Lightning
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Matter
- Forms in OrbitFree
- Twisted Geometry$0.99
- Stock and Render$0.99
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- Future Machines$1.99
- Master Pack$2.99
- Forever Unlock$4.99
AR Lightning
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Matter free?
Is AR Lightning free?
Which has better reviews, Matter or AR Lightning?
Do Matter or AR Lightning have ads?
Which is updated more often, Matter or AR Lightning?
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