Halide vs LumaFusion
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's close: Halide edges it 8.7 to 8.6, so the right pick depends on what you need. Halide wins on 3 of the 5 scores, LumaFusion on 2.
iPhone photographers who want manual control and natural-looking RAW files
Video creators who want a desktop-class timeline on an iPad or Android tablet
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Halide | LumaFusion |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo & Video | Photo & Video |
| Category rank | #4 of 8 | #5 of 8 |
| Developer | Lux Optics | LumaTouch |
| Pricing | Subscription | Paid |
| Usable for free | No | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | — | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Halide
- Controls fall right under your thumb
- Process Zero gives natural, less processed images
- No account needed and very little data collection
- iPhone and iPad only
- No free tier beyond the trial
Halide is the best manual camera app for iPhone. It puts focus, shutter speed and ISO under your thumb, and adds focus peaking, a live histogram and RAW capture. Process Zero skips Apple's heavy image processing for natural, film-like shots. The catch is price: after the trial you pick a subscription or a one-time purchase. Get it if you care how your iPhone photos are processed.
Full Halide review
LumaFusion
- Desktop-style timeline that works well with touch
- One-time purchase covers the core editor
- Edits locally with no account required
- Steeper learning curve than template apps
- Multicam and stock media cost extra
LumaFusion is one of the most capable video editors you can run on a tablet. You get multiple video and audio tracks, keyframes, color correction, titles and external display support, all from a one-time purchase. Optional add-ons bring extras like multicam editing and stock media. It takes time to learn, but it's the pick for serious mobile editors who want a real timeline.
Full LumaFusion review
