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Photography · head to head

NightCap vs Nik Collection

NightCap logo

NightCap

Photography

Long-exposure camera app for iOS aimed at night sky, star trail and light trail photography

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nik Collection logo

Nik Collection

Photography

Plugin suite of specialised editing tools, black and white, HDR, colour effects, sold as a one-time purchase by DxO

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: NightCap it is iOS-only, so Android photographers cannot use it at all.; Nik Collection it is a finishing plugin suite, not a RAW editor, so it needs Photoshop, Lightroom Classic or DxO PhotoLab installed to use its full feature set.
  • They diverge on capability: NightCap covers Manual exposure control, Nik Collection covers Silver Efex Pro.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NightCap and Nik Collection actually diverge.

Attributes where NightCap and Nik Collection differ
AttributeNightCapNik Collection
PlatformsiOSWindows, macOS

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (One-time purchase), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Photography).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in NightCap

  • Manual exposure control
  • Star trail mode
  • Light trail mode
  • Northern lights mode
  • Meteor shower mode
  • Astro mode with stacking

Only in Nik Collection

  • Silver Efex Pro
  • Color Efex Pro
  • HDR Efex Pro
  • Analog Efex Pro
  • Viveza
  • Host and standalone modes

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

NightCap

  • An iPhone owner wanting star trail or Milky Way photos without buying a dedicated cameranot Nik Collection
  • A hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacksnot Nik Collection
  • Someone capturing light trail shots of traffic or fireworks at nightnot Nik Collection
  • A photographer who prefers a one-time purchase app over yet another photography subscriptionnot Nik Collection

Nik Collection

  • A Lightroom Classic user who wants Silver Efex specifically for black and white conversionnot NightCap
  • A DxO PhotoLab user finishing landscape work with HDR Efex tone mappingnot NightCap
  • A photographer building a vintage film look with Analog Efex on top of a standard RAW editnot NightCap
  • Someone who wants a one-time purchase finishing toolkit rather than adding another subscription to an existing editing stacknot NightCap

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

NightCap

  • It is iOS-only, so Android photographers cannot use it at all.
  • Results are still limited by the physical sensor size and aperture of an iPhone, so it cannot match a dedicated mirrorless camera for astrophotography.
  • It requires a tripod or other stabilisation for most of its long-exposure modes, which is an extra cost and inconvenience beyond the app itself.
  • Its manual controls have a learning curve for someone used to a fully automatic point-and-shoot camera app.
  • As a niche app from a small developer, update cadence and long-term support are less predictable than a major platform vendor camera app.

Nik Collection

  • It is a finishing plugin suite, not a RAW editor, so it needs Photoshop, Lightroom Classic or DxO PhotoLab installed to use its full feature set.
  • Standalone mode has fewer capabilities than running it through a host application, which is not always obvious to a first-time buyer.
  • New major versions are paid upgrades, so the true multi-year cost is higher than the one-time headline price suggests for users who upgrade every release.
  • It does not integrate with Lightroom cloud-based (non-Classic) or with Capture One, narrowing which existing workflows can use it as a plugin.
  • Since DxO acquisition from Google, some of the individual Efex tools have seen slower feature development than dedicated competitors like Topaz for specific tasks such as noise reduction.

Pricing, plan by plan

NightCap

On request
  • NightCap$2.99/one-time
    • Full manual exposure control
    • All shooting modes included
    • No subscription

Nik Collection

On request
  • Nik Collection$159/one-time
    • Lifetime licence, no subscription
    • Runs as a plugin or standalone application
    • Upgrade pricing offered to existing owners for future versions

Which should you pick?

Choose NightCap if

  • You need manual exposure control.
  • You work on iOS.
  • You also want star trail mode.
NightCap review

Choose Nik Collection if

  • You need silver efex pro.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want color efex pro.
Nik Collection review

Questions people ask

Is NightCap or Nik Collection better?
Neither clearly leads. NightCap starts at On request and Nik Collection at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NightCap or Nik Collection?
NightCap starts at On request and Nik Collection at On request.
Does NightCap or Nik Collection run on more platforms?
NightCap runs on iOS. Nik Collection runs on Windows, macOS.
What is NightCap best used for?
NightCap is most often used for an iphone owner wanting star trail or milky way photos without buying a dedicated camera, a hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacks, someone capturing light trail shots of traffic or fireworks at night, a photographer who prefers a one-time purchase app over yet another photography subscription. Of those, an iphone owner wanting star trail or milky way photos without buying a dedicated camera and a hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacks are not what Nik Collection is typically brought in for.
What can NightCap do that Nik Collection cannot?
NightCap covers Manual exposure control, Star trail mode, Light trail mode, Northern lights mode. Nik Collection covers Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro, Analog Efex Pro.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NightCap: Is NightCap still maintained?

Yes, it remains listed and updated on the App Store, including a rebuilt version offered free to existing customers.

Nik Collection: Is Nik Collection a subscription?

No, DxO sells it as a lifetime licence with optional paid upgrades for future versions.

NightCap: Is it a subscription?

No, it is sold as a one-time purchase.

Nik Collection: Do I need Photoshop or Lightroom to use it?

It works best as a plugin inside Photoshop, Lightroom Classic or DxO PhotoLab, but it also has a smaller-featured standalone mode.

NightCap: Does it work on Android?

No, NightCap is iOS-only.

Nik Collection: What is Nik Collection best for specifically?

Black and white conversion through Silver Efex and HDR tone mapping through HDR Efex are its most distinctive tools.

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