Comparison

Mavis Camera vs Video Pencil

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

Head to head
About

Mavis Camera

This app offers advanced video recording and live streaming capabilities for creators and professionals. It provides manual camera controls, professional monitoring tools, and various output options for seamless integration into modern workflows.

Highlights
  • ProRes, HEVC 10-bit, Open Gate recording
  • Custom and Filter LUTs for filmic looks
  • Advanced monitoring tools (focus peaking, zebras)
  • Manual camera controls (focus, exposure, ISO)
  • NDI® HX3 Certified
  • Camera to Cloud integrations (Frame.io, MediaSilo)
  • Live streaming to YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, Facebook
Features
Read full description

Whether you're a streamer building a channel, an industry veteran looking for new ways of working or a creator with a passion for filmmaking, Mavis Camera has something for you. -- MAIN FEATURES -- • Record in a range of resolutions, frame rates, and codecs including Open Gate, HEVC 10-bit, ProRes and ProRes RAW • Record and preview using custom LUTs, and achieve a filmic look with built-in Filter LUTs • Monitor tools including focus peaking, zebras, false color, expanded focus, guides, flip • Manual camera controls including focus, exposure, shutter and color • Hardware Remote Controllers: SKAARHOJ, Teradek RT, CyanView RCP, Tilta Nucleus (USB dongle only) • NDI® Send and Receive HX3 Certified • Pro HDMI output • HDMI input via Atomos Ninja Phone support • HDMI / SDI input via Accsoon SeeMo series support • Adobe Frame.io Camera to Cloud • Streaming including YouTube, Twitch, Instagram and Facebook • Custom audio inputs • Audio mixer including gain, pan and solo controls for individual channels • Real-time audio passthrough for monitoring in headphones • HDR video pipeline • Custom RTMP destination & SRT (TX Caller) streaming • Mavis C2C including Framelight X, MediaSilo, Sony Ci & Amazon S3 • Mavis Cloud Hub remote configuration for Mavis C2C and streaming settings • Timecode including Time-of-Day, Offset and UltraSync BLUE • Vertical and landscape recording and streaming • API -- AUDIO TOOLS -- • Integrated audio mixer with stereo output • Gain & pan control per input channel • External mic inputs • Internal mic selection • Multi-track ISO recording • Bluetooth monitoring -- CONNECTED WORKFLOWS -- NDI • Send or Receive with NDI • NDI HX3 Certified • Automatically find all NDI sources on local network • Set NDI Groups, Discovery Server, UDP/TCP Mode Camera to Cloud • Mavis C2C integrations with Framelight X, MediaSilo, Sony Ci & Amazon S3 • Direct integration with Adobe Frame.io • Direct integration with Atomos ATOMOSphere • Progressive uploads while you record • Manage Mavis C2C devices from hub.mavis.cloud Live Streaming • Vertical and landscape streaming • Simultaneously record and stream • Custom RTMP and SRT Caller destinations • Manage Streaming devices from hub.mavis.cloud -- CAMERA CONTROLS -- Manual controls including • Focus • Exposure • ISO • Shutter • Color temperature • Shutter lock • Custom frame rates • Range of resolutions • Range of bitrates • Codecs including ProRes -- MONITOR TOOLS -- What they do • Mavis LUTs let you record or preview your footage with a filmic grade, helping you visualise the final look while you shoot • Focus peaking and expanded focus features help you achieve consistently sharp and precise shots • Zebras help ensure your shots are never overexposed • Guides help you frame your shot • Aspect Ratio overlay lets you preview your image in a different width/height • Waveform monitor helps you shoot with the optimal dynamic range • Vectorscope helps maintain consistent colors and ensures accurate white balance Notable settings • Record and preview LUTs • Focus peaking color and sensitivity • Guides including thirds, portrait safe and square • Zebras, color and sensitivity range • Aspect Ratio overlay cross hairs, safe area and transparency -- API -- • Control the internal camera from an API • Discover and learn the API with a built in API Playground web server • Develop your own control interfaces with a WebSocket based interface • Full RCP based control including color shading • Secure your connections with API keys Device restrictions apply. Some features require In-App Purchase or App Subscription. Check out the support pages for full details - support.mavis.cloud EULA - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Mavis Camera was developed by people who love what they do. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :-)

About

Video Pencil

Annotate directly onto any video source, including your iPad's camera or external feeds. Customize your drawing tools and record your annotations as a video or transparent layer. Ideal for presentations, coaching, and live streaming.

Highlights
  • Draw on any video source
  • Smart shuttle control for precise scrubbing
  • Customizable toolbar with colors and pen styles
  • Record with or without annotations
  • Pause and rewind live video (extra)
  • Seamless Mac connection via CueCam Presenter
  • Transparent NDI feed for professional workflows
Features
Read full description

Make it obvious. Draw it. Draw over any video or your camera, pause where it matters and record what you mean, right on your iPad. MAKING VIDEOS Tutorials, reviews and walkthroughs, with your drawings and your voice together. No editing. COACHING Break down match footage and share it with the team. Put it on the TV at training, at half-time or in the team meeting, and show the whole squad what happened, and what should have. TEACHING Walk through a diagram, a worked example or an experiment, step by step. NEW: THE SOCCER TOOLKIT Made with coaches, from professional clubs to youth and grassroots teams. • Tap a player to number them. Press play and the number follows them. • Drag out the space a player is running into. • Link two defenders with a line that tracks them as the play continues. • Arrows for passes, runs and the path of the ball. An in-app subscription. TAKE PEOPLE THROUGH A VIDEO Load any video from your library, play or pause, and scrub to the perfect moment. Then just start drawing. Or switch to your iPad's camera, or a USB camera, and draw over it live. Record your drawings and your voice as a finished video, or as a transparent drawing layer to put over your own footage. DRAWING TOOLS CURATED FOR VIDEO Every tool is chosen to stand out clearly on top of moving pictures. Set up your favourite pens and colours so they're always one tap away. Every line responds to Apple Pencil's tilt and pressure. ACTION REPLAY Pause and rewind any live camera: your iPad's own camera, a USB camera or an NDI feed. Jog the Shuttle Wheel back to the moment and draw on it frame by frame, while the live feed keeps playing picture-in-picture. Save the best moments as clips. LIVE TITLES Draw a line, say what you want it to say, and your text appears, sized to fit your line. ON THE BIG SCREEN Put your iPad on a TV or projector with Apple TV, AirPlay or an HDMI adapter. The big screen shows only the footage and your drawings; the toolbar stays on your iPad. YOUR OWN BRANDING Make it look like your club, school or business on every screen. DRAW LIVE IN YOUR CALLS AND STREAMS Video Pencil connects to your Mac or PC for Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, OBS, Ecamm Live and mimoLive. With CueCam Presenter on your Mac, you draw on your iPad and everyone sees it over you, live. Video Pencil also connects over HDMI, AirPlay and USB, and sends and receives NDI, including a transparent NDI feed for Ecamm Live, OBS, mimoLive or your switcher. PART OF THE CUECAM SUITE Video Pencil works on its own, and pairs with CueCam Presenter for Mac and Shoot for iOS. A CueCam subscription includes Video Pencil's core features. FREE TO DOWNLOAD One-off upgrades are yours for life: remove the watermark, add Action Replay, or get Lifetime Updates for every current and future feature that isn't a subscription. “Best app out there for film day for coaching that isn't $600. Love it!” Coachfro25 “I cannot emphasise how amazing this app is. It's one that I use every day on my tutorials, client calls, and live streams.” Neil Farrimond, Creator Café “This has been my favorite tool (besides ecamm of course) of 2026! Proudly endorsed by the ecamm team!” Jill, Ecamm Facebook Community “I use Video Pencil connected via HDMI to a TV in the classroom for live game film review and I use the recording feature to create clips for the team or specific players. I could not do what I do without Video Pencil.” Echevarria Family Made by a single developer, working in public. Tell me what to build next at videopencil.com. NDI® is a registered trademark of Vizrt NDI AB. https://ndi.video

Screenshots

Mavis Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mavis Camera at 4.4 against Video Pencil's 4.2. Mavis Camera also leads on ratings volume (746 vs 106). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

Both are free to download. Mavis Camera sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days and Video Pencil sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mavis Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mavis Camera has 746 ratings behind it against 106, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Mavis Camera's written reviews are positive against 57% of Video Pencil's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mavis Camera ships an update fortnightly, Video Pencil every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Mavis Camera versus Video Pencil: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMavis CameraVideo Pencil
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (746 ratings) — better4.2 (106 ratings)
Positive reviews59.2% of reviews — better57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings746 — better106
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS18.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size253 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMavis Broadcast LtdGood To Hear

Customer experience

Mavis Camera

All ratings746 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral4.4%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews201 reviews
Positive59.2%
Neutral10.0%
Negative30.8%

Video Pencil

All ratings106 ratings
Positive77.4%
Neutral3.8%
Negative18.9%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral4.8%
Negative38.1%

Bugs and requests

Mavis Camera

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inconsistent video metadata and resolution
  • Upside-down video playback after switching cameras
  • Inability to lock manual shutter speed and ISO
  • Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity with external devices
  • Saving videos taking an unusually long time

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dolby Vision HDR support
  • Log color profile and flat picture settings
  • Smooth zoom functionality
  • Remote monitoring and control capabilities
  • Improved gimbal integration and support
Show 1 more
  • Portrait mode and Instagram Reels support

Video Pencil

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

15 purchases

Mavis Camera

Subscriptions3
  • Mavis C2C$14.997 Days
  • Annual Pass$29.991 Year
  • Mavis C2C$29.991 Month
One-time12
  • Timecode UltraSync BLUEFree
  • Timecode$2.99
  • Gimbals$2.99
Show 9 more
  • Buy us a coffee$4.99
  • Viewfinder$5.99
  • Formats$5.99
  • Pro Tools$5.99
  • Film Kit$14.99
  • Pro Pack$14.99
  • Big Bundle$17.99
  • API$19.99
  • NDI®$29.99
8 purchases

Video Pencil

Subscriptions3
  • Video Pencil for Zoom$7.991 Month
  • Soccer Toolkit7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Soccer Toolkit7 Days trial$149.001 Year
One-time5
  • Laser Pointer$3.99
  • Magic Wand$3.99
  • Action Replay$19.99
Show 2 more
  • Video Pencil Pro Essentials$39.99
  • Lifetime Updates$99.99

Questions

Is Mavis Camera free?
Mavis Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Video Pencil free?
Video Pencil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mavis Camera or Video Pencil?
Mavis Camera is rated higher. Mavis Camera averages 4.4 out of 5 from 746 ratings, while Video Pencil averages 4.2 from 106 ratings.
Do Mavis Camera or Video Pencil have ads?
Neither Mavis Camera nor Video Pencil shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mavis Camera or Video Pencil?
Mavis Camera ships an update fortnightly, and Video Pencil every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mavis Camera was updated on October 24, 2026 and Video Pencil on October 25, 2026.

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