# Blear vs Obscura

Blear and Obscura both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Blear's written reviews are positive against 0% of Obscura's. Blear also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (77 vs 4). Obscura's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Obscura sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Blear asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Blear against 4.8 for Obscura. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blear has 77 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Blear's written reviews are positive against 0% of Obscura's.

Blear ships an update every 3 months, Obscura every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blear | Obscura |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blear/id994182280/reviews) | [4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obscura-studio/id6744744794/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **77** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **86.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sindre Sorhus](https://appshunter.io/developer/328077650) | [Ben McCarthy](https://appshunter.io/developer/893264216) |

## What reviewers say

### Blear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blear/id994182280)

Create unique blurry wallpapers from your own photos or pre-loaded images. Easily adjust blurriness and crop to personalize your device's home and lock screens. Share your creations directly from the app.

**Highlights:** Transform photos into blurry wallpapers, Adjust crop and blurriness, Use pre-loaded images, Action Extension for quick editing, Save and set as wallpaper

**In-app purchases:** none


### Obscura

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obscura-studio/id6744744794)

This app offers a powerful yet intuitive photo editing experience. It provides a range of pre-set filters and advanced tools for creative adjustments. Unlock full functionality to save and export your masterpieces.

**Highlights:** Gorgeous pre-set filters, Custom filter creation, Pro editing tools, Exposure, curves, white balance, Grain and vignette adjustments, Hue/saturation/lightness controls, Edits saved between sessions

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Obscura Studio+ Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Obscura Ultra - One Month | $3.99 | per month |
| Obscura Studio+ Annual | $11.99 | per year |
| Obscura Ultra - Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Obscura Ultra - One Time | $64.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blear free?

Blear is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Obscura free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Blear or Obscura?

Blear and Obscura are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 77 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do Blear or Obscura have ads?

Neither Blear nor Obscura shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blear or Obscura?

Blear ships an update every 3 months, and Obscura every 5 weeks. Most recently, Blear was updated on October 15, 2026 and Obscura on October 18, 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.*