# Retro Camera! vs Lens Buddy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lens Buddy at 94% against Retro Camera!'s 0%. Lens Buddy also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and ads (none vs shown). Retro Camera!'s advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro Camera! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Lens Buddy sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lens Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lens Buddy has 34K ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Retro Camera!'s written reviews are positive against 94% of Lens Buddy's.

Retro Camera! ships an update every 12 months, Lens Buddy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 11, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Camera! | Lens Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-camera/id975450129/reviews) | **[4.9 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lens-buddy-self-timer-camera/id1289471945/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 48 | **34K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **94.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#156** |
| Size | 15 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Quantis, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/373039420) | [Lens Buddy Selfie Timer Photo Video Filter Camera LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1289471944) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro Camera!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-camera/id975450129)

Easily create artistic, nostalgic photos with over 35 professionally designed retro filters. Apply effects with a single tap, then save or share your creations to social media or email.

**Highlights:** 35+ retro camera filters, Single-tap filter application, Random filter option, Instagram size adjustment, Self-timer for selfies, Photo framing, Social media sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |


### Lens Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lens-buddy-self-timer-camera/id1289471945)

**Currently charting:** #156 Top Grossing · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app allows you to take hands-free photos and videos using a customizable timer. It's ideal for solo photoshoots, group pictures, and content creation, offering features like a photo booth mode and high-quality capture.

**Highlights:** Customizable timer, Photo Booth mode, High-quality photo capture, Video recording, Built-in gallery for rating and organizing, RAW photo support, Burst mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly PRO | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly PRO | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly PRO | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly PRO | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly PRO | $9.99 | per month |
| Special | $14.99 | per year |
| Special | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Customizable timer and photo settings
- 💡 Ability to take multiple photos at once
- 👍 Convenient for solo photography
- 👍 Organized photo management within the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🐛 Issues with photo saving and transfer
- 🔒 Cannot fully mute the shutter sound
- 💰 Subscription model concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Photos not saving in order
- Inconsistent photo count between app and export

**Requested features**

- Ability to invert camera view
- Option to only save liked/approved photos
- Zip/batch photo export
- Apple Watch integration as a viewfinder


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro Camera! free?

Retro Camera! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lens Buddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Retro Camera! or Lens Buddy?

Lens Buddy is rated higher. Retro Camera! averages 4.0 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Lens Buddy averages 4.9 from 34K ratings.

### Do Retro Camera! or Lens Buddy have ads?

Retro Camera! shows ads; Lens Buddy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Retro Camera! or Lens Buddy?

Retro Camera! ships an update every 12 months, and Lens Buddy every 2 weeks. Most recently, Retro Camera! was updated on June 11, 2026 and Lens Buddy on October 1, 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.*