Comparison

Live HD/R vs RAW2HDR

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

Head to head
About

Live HD/R

Record high-definition HDR videos with real-time tonemapping directly on your iPhone. This app preserves details in both bright skies and dark shadows simultaneously, allowing on-screen adjustments to see changes instantly.

Highlights
  • Real-time tonemapped HDR video recording
  • HD resolution
  • Preserves detail in bright and dark areas
  • Adjustable tonemapping settings
  • Image stabilization
  • EV compensation, zoom, contrast, and saturation controls
Read full description

Record real-time tonemapped HDR video in HD resolution right from your iPhone: a patented world first! Watch the demo video at: http://www.thaliacam.com/live/ios.html Thalia® Live HD/R™ lets you record movies with large variations in brightness across a scene and tonemap them for display on screens without HDR capability in real time. Details in bright skies and in dark shadows are visible in splendid detail at the same time. Thalia Live HD/R records and tonemaps HDR video in real time. You can change the tonemapping settings right on the screen and immediately see how it changes the video, even while you're recording. Settings available include image stabilization, EV compensation, zoom, global contrast, local contrast, radius, noise reduction, gamma, and saturation. US Patents 9,955,084, 10,225,485, 10,277,771, 10,868,969. Patents pending.

About

RAW2HDR

Transform your camera's RAW files into stunning 10-bit HDR images with over a billion colors. Enhance brightness, shadows, and color depth for photos that truly pop. Includes professional editing tools, black & white conversion, and customizable frames.

Highlights
  • RAW to 10-bit HDR conversion
  • Enhanced color depth and dynamic range
  • Professional editing tools
  • Black & white conversion
  • Customizable picture frames and borders
  • LUT and style simulations
  • Universal RAW file support
Features
Read full description

Unlock the True Potential of Your Photos : raw2hdr transforms your camera's RAW files into stunning 10-bit HDR images that bring your photography to life. Whether you're shooting with a Sony, Fujifilm, Canon, or Leica, this app unlocks the full dynamic range hiding in your RAW files. What is 10-bit HDR? Standard photos are limited to 8-bit color (16 million colors). 10-bit HDR images contain over 1 billion colors — that's 64 times more color information! This means: * Brighter whites that truly shine without washing out * Deeper shadows with visible detail instead of pure black * Richer colors that match what your eyes actually saw * Glowing highlights in sunsets, city lights, and reflections Think of it like viewing your photos through a professional slide projector instead of looking at a print — everything has depth, luminance, and presence that jumps off the screen. The HDR Difference You Can See When you view HDR images on modern iPhones, iPads, or HDR-enabled displays, you'll notice: * Sunsets actually glow with warm radiance * City lights sparkle like real life * Black & white photos show brilliant whites that feel illuminated from within * Picture frames make your images pop off the screen with dimensional depth Perfect for Social Media - Share your HDR masterpieces where they'll shine: * Instagram - HDR photos stand out in feeds with eye-catching vibrancy * Threads - Your HDR images will stop the scroll * iMessage - Send HDR photos that look stunning on recipients' HDR screens * iPhone Photos - Full HDR viewing with the HDR badge Professional Editing Tools : * Histogram, Crop mode, Exposure, Contrast, Black Point, White Balance, Shadow Recovery, Lens Correction, Noise Reduction Black & White Conversion : * Transform your photos into luminous black & white images where whites actually glow brighter than standard photos. In HDR, monochrome photography reaches a new level — imagine viewing Ansel Adams prints with a backlight. Picture Frames & Borders : * Borders in any size with any colors * Custom aspect ratios (65:24 x-pan, 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, or original) * Flexible alignment * HDR frames create a gallery presentation effect — like matted prints in a professional exhibition Simulations & LUTs: * Adding styles into your images in both SDR / HDR from ranges of 50+ styles Universal RAW Support - Apple's CIRAWFilter for professional-grade RAW processing Works with RAW files from major camera brands: * Sony (ARW) * Fujifilm (RAF) — including X-Trans sensors * Canon (CR2, CR3) * Leica, Apple, DJI, Google, Sigma, Ricoh (DNG) * Panasonic (RAW, RW2) * Hasselblad (3FR) * Olympus (ORF) * Pentax (PEF) * Nikon (NEF) * And many more... The Value of Converting to HDR : Your camera captures far more light information than what standard 8-bit photos can display. RAW files contain this "hidden" data, but you need HDR to actually see it. Standard Photo: Clipped highlights, crushed shadows, compressed colors HDR Conversion: Full dynamic range, glowing lights, rich shadows, true-to-life colors It's like the difference between looking through a dirty window vs. standing outside — suddenly everything is vivid, dimensional, and real. How It Works : 1. Import your RAW photos from anywhere 2. Convert to 10-bit HDR HEIC with a single tap 3. Editing with adjustments, add elegant frames, experimenting with film simulations 4. Share to Instagram, Threads, or save to Photos 5. Experience your photos in stunning HDR on compatible displays See the Difference : The difference between standard photos and HDR is impossible to describe — you have to see it. Once you experience HDR images on an HDR display, standard photos will feel flat and lifeless by comparison.

Screenshots

Live HD/R3 screens
RAW2HDR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RAW2HDR at Free against Live HD/R's $2.99. RAW2HDR also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Live HD/R's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ratings volume, ads, device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

RAW2HDR is free to download; Live HD/R costs $2.99 up front. RAW2HDR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Live HD/R asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RAW2HDR holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Live HD/R's written reviews are positive against 67% of RAW2HDR's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Live HD/R ships an update every 4 months, RAW2HDR every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Live HD/R versus RAW2HDR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLive HD/RRAW2HDR
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating3.5 (6 ratings)4.5 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB185 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPromanthan LLCChris chi-fu HUANG

Customer experience

Live HD/R

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

RAW2HDR

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Live HD/R

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

RAW2HDR

One-time1
  • raw2hdr Pro Unlimited$2.99

Questions

Is Live HD/R free?
Live HD/R costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RAW2HDR free?
RAW2HDR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Live HD/R or RAW2HDR?
RAW2HDR is rated higher. Live HD/R averages 3.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while RAW2HDR averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.
Do Live HD/R or RAW2HDR have ads?
Neither Live HD/R nor RAW2HDR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Live HD/R or RAW2HDR?
Live HD/R ships an update every 4 months, and RAW2HDR every 2 weeks. Most recently, Live HD/R was updated on October 16, 2026 and RAW2HDR on October 9, 2026.

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