# Blur Image Background vs Phocus

The clearest difference is rating: Phocus at 4.6 against Blur Image Background's 3.6. Phocus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). Blur Image Background's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Blur Image Background sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Phocus sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Phocus holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phocus has 6.8K ratings behind it against 143, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of Blur Image Background's written reviews are positive against 50% of Phocus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Blur Image Background ships an update every 6 months, Phocus fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blur Image Background | Phocus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (143 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blur-image-background-editor/id955415218/reviews) | **[4.6 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phocus-dslr-portrait-camera/id1211807807/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 143 | **6.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **52.0% of reviews** | 49.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 349 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [out thinking limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/531344384) | [RAY INFORMATICS YAZILIM TEKNOLOJI MEDYA DANISMANLIK VE EGITIM TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/965885089) |

## What reviewers say

### Blur Image Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blur-image-background-editor/id955415218)

Easily create stunning blurred backgrounds for your photos. Select an image, adjust blur intensity with a customizable brush, and even erase effects. Save and share your edited images instantly.

**Highlights:** Automatic background blur, Adjustable brush size, Erase blur effect, Save edited photos, Share via social media, Camera option

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Features | $5.99 | per month |
| Premium Features | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Excellent blur quality
- 🔍 Precise blur control
- 🔨 Useful for photo editing
- 🎨 Customizable blur intensity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Frequent ads disrupt usage
- 💾 Difficulty saving edited photos
- 🔍 Imprecise manual blur tool
- 🔴 Entire image gets blurred instead of just background

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Saved photos not retaining blur effect
- Ads cover up editing controls

**Requested features**

- Automatic background blur option
- More blur filter styles (e.g. bokeh, pixelated)
- Ability to save edited photos without ads


### Phocus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phocus-dslr-portrait-camera/id1211807807)

This AI-powered app creates DSLR-style portraits by simulating realistic background blur and offering advanced 3D relighting capabilities. It allows for precise control over depth, lighting, and scene atmosphere, transforming any photo into a cinematic masterpiece.

**Highlights:** DSLR-style portrait creation, Realistic background blur simulation, Advanced 3D relighting, AI-powered subject detection, DSLR lens emulation, Portrait video blur

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phocus AI Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Phocus AI Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Phocus AI Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Phocus AI Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Phocus AI Unlimited Access | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Best tool camera app
- 👍 Easy editing, works great
- 👍 Makes your phone current

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Hilariously terrible effects
- 🔒 Can't limit access to personal stuff
- 🐛 Awful, blurs everything
- 🐛 Crashes too much
- 🐛 Doesn't render, gets stuck

**Reported bugs**

- Can't save pictures
- Photos don't download
- Unable to save picture
- Camera crashes when clicking portrait
- App dies if you don't upgrade

**Requested features**

- Change bokeh shapes/effects
- Add manual brush to control bokeh
- Make it a photo extension in Photos app
- Add more shadows and directional lighting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blur Image Background free?

Blur Image Background is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Phocus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Blur Image Background or Phocus?

Phocus is rated higher. Blur Image Background averages 3.6 out of 5 from 143 ratings, while Phocus averages 4.6 from 6.8K ratings.

### Do Blur Image Background or Phocus have ads?

Blur Image Background shows ads; Phocus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Blur Image Background or Phocus?

Blur Image Background ships an update every 6 months, and Phocus fortnightly. Most recently, Blur Image Background was updated on September 21, 2026 and Phocus on September 23, 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.*