Is Eclipse or Discreet better for recording video with the screen off?

Both record video while the screen shows something other than a camera preview. Neither can record with the screen genuinely off — iOS does not allow any third-party app to capture in the background. Eclipse gives you more choices of what the screen shows instead, which is the part you can actually control.

Can either app record with the app in the background?

No. iOS suspends camera access when an app leaves the foreground, and this applies to every third-party app without exception. Any app claiming otherwise is describing something iOS does not permit. Both apps work by keeping the app open while disguising what the screen displays.

Do these apps hide the green camera indicator?

Neither can, and neither should claim to. iOS shows a green dot whenever the camera is active, and there is no API to suppress it. Eclipse's masks are designed with that dot visible — the goal is a screen that looks ordinary, not a phone that looks off.

Will the shutter sound give me away?

Eclipse can capture silently with an optional haptic confirmation instead. In a few regions — Japan and South Korea among them — iOS enforces a shutter sound at the system level that no app can disable. That restriction applies to both apps equally.

Is there a free version of either app?

Eclipse is free to download, and the black screen mask, Face ID lock and slideshow are free permanently. Discreet does not document a free tier. If trying before buying matters to you, that is a real difference.

Can I switch from Discreet to Eclipse and keep my captures?

Captures in either app live in that app's private album, so there is no direct transfer. Export from Discreet to your Photos library first, then import into Eclipse's vault. Delete the Photos copies afterwards if you want them to stay private.

Eclipse vs Discreet

How Eclipse and Discreet differ on screen disguises, capture triggers, widgets and storage. Five masks versus a black screen, compared feature by feature.

The short answer

Both apps capture photo and video while the screen shows something other than a camera. The difference is how many things that screen can pretend to be. Discreet offers a black screen. Eclipse offers five disguises — black screen, your own images, a Safari page, and a QR scanner, alongside the normal preview — which matters because a black screen only disappears in a dark room. In a lit café, a phone showing nothing at all draws more attention than a phone showing a web page.

Eclipse in short

— Five screen masks, including a fake Safari page and QR scanner
— Photo, video and Live Photo, front or back camera
— Apple Watch app, widgets, and a Control Center toggle
— Free to download, with a Pro tier for the advanced masks

Discreet in short

— Black-screen capture on iPhone
— Apple Watch support and volume-button shutter
— Private album behind Face ID
— Feature list expanded significantly in 2026

Feature by feature

Feature	Eclipse	Discreet
Screen disguises	Five: normal preview, black screen, your own images, a fake Safari page, and a QR scanner frame.	A black screen. This is the app's headline feature and what it advertises.
Black screen capture	Yes. The whole screen is the shutter — tap anywhere, or use a volume button.	Yes. This is the core of the product.
Safari browser disguise	Yes. The screen renders a web page with a floating shutter, so the phone reads as ordinary browsing.	Not offered in the app's advertised feature set.
QR scanner disguise	Yes. A scanner frame fills the screen — a plausible reason to be holding a phone up in public.	Not offered in the app's advertised feature set.
Custom image mask	Yes. Use your own images and swipe between them while the camera records behind.	Not offered in the app's advertised feature set.
Capture triggers	Tap anywhere on screen, either volume button, or the Apple Watch app.	Screen tap and volume button, with Apple Watch support.
Apple Watch	A watch app fires the shutter and starts the camera, so the phone can stay in a pocket or on a table.	Apple Watch capture is supported.
Widgets and Control Center	Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets plus a Control Center control, each opening straight into a mode. The widget can be given a disguised look.	Not documented in the app's public materials.
Live Photo	Optional. Captures a short motion clip either side of the still.	Not documented in the app's public materials.
Burst and timed capture	Several shots per tap, a delay before the first frame, and an adjustable gap between shots.	Burst capture is supported.
Where captures are stored	A private album inside the app, behind Face ID. Nothing is uploaded and nothing syncs. Export to Photos only when you choose to.	A private album protected by Face ID.
Slideshow review	Built in, with adjustable timing for stills and video.	Not documented in the app's public materials.
Free tier	Free to download and use, including the black screen mask, Face ID lock and slideshow. Pro unlocks the advanced masks and unlimited vault storage.	No free tier is documented; the app is sold as a paid product.

Where Discreet's own materials do not state something either way, this table says so rather than assuming the answer is no.

Pricing

Eclipse

Free to download. The black screen mask, Face ID lock and slideshow playback are free forever, with a vault capped at 10 items. Pro is a monthly or annual subscription and unlocks the Image, Safari and QR masks, unlimited vault storage, widget customisation, and removes ads.

Discreet

Sold as a paid app. Discreet undercut Eclipse on price after expanding its feature list in 2026. We are not going to quote a figure that may be out of date by the time you read this — check the App Store listing for current pricing.

Strengths and weaknesses

Eclipse

+ Five screen disguises, so the cover story can match the room you are in
+ Free tier that includes the black screen mask, Face ID lock and slideshow
+ Widgets and a Control Center toggle open a mode in one tap
+ Fine control over burst count, initial delay and the gap between shots
+ Captures never leave the device — no account, no upload, no sync
− The advanced masks are behind a subscription, not a one-time purchase
− Free vault is capped at 10 items, which fills quickly
− Five modes is more to learn than a single button
− Cannot record with the app in the background — an iOS limit, not a design choice

Discreet

+ Does the black-screen case well, and that is the case most people want first
+ Simpler: one mode, nothing to configure or choose between
+ Established App Store presence and an active update cadence
− A black screen is conspicuous in a lit room, which is where it most needs to work
− No documented free tier, so there is no way to try before paying
− Widget, Live Photo and slideshow support are not documented either way

The difference that actually matters

A black screen is only invisible in the dark. That is the whole argument. In a lit room, a phone displaying nothing at all is conspicuous — screens are supposed to show something. Eclipse's other four masks exist because the believable disguise changes with the room you are standing in: a web page on a café table, a QR scanner at an event, your own photo anywhere else. Discreet solves the dark-room case well. Eclipse solves the dark-room case and the lit-room case.

Which one to pick

Choose Eclipse if

— You want a disguise that holds up in a lit room, not only in the dark
— You want widgets or a Control Center toggle to open the camera in one tap
— You want to try the app before paying anything
— You want Live Photo, slideshow review, or fine control over burst timing

Choose Discreet if

— A black screen is all you need and you would rather not choose between modes
— You have already bought it and it does what you need

Common questions

Is Eclipse or Discreet better for recording video with the screen off?: Both record video while the screen shows something other than a camera preview. Neither can record with the screen genuinely off — iOS does not allow any third-party app to capture in the background. Eclipse gives you more choices of what the screen shows instead, which is the part you can actually control.
Can either app record with the app in the background?: No. iOS suspends camera access when an app leaves the foreground, and this applies to every third-party app without exception. Any app claiming otherwise is describing something iOS does not permit. Both apps work by keeping the app open while disguising what the screen displays.
Do these apps hide the green camera indicator?: Neither can, and neither should claim to. iOS shows a green dot whenever the camera is active, and there is no API to suppress it. Eclipse's masks are designed with that dot visible — the goal is a screen that looks ordinary, not a phone that looks off.
Will the shutter sound give me away?: Eclipse can capture silently with an optional haptic confirmation instead. In a few regions — Japan and South Korea among them — iOS enforces a shutter sound at the system level that no app can disable. That restriction applies to both apps equally.
Is there a free version of either app?: Eclipse is free to download, and the black screen mask, Face ID lock and slideshow are free permanently. Discreet does not document a free tier. If trying before buying matters to you, that is a real difference.
Can I switch from Discreet to Eclipse and keep my captures?: Captures in either app live in that app's private album, so there is no direct transfer. Export from Discreet to your Photos library first, then import into Eclipse's vault. Delete the Photos copies afterwards if you want them to stay private.

Try the masks before you pay for anything

Eclipse is free to download. The black screen mask, Face ID lock and slideshow stay free.

Download free on the App Store