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Photone - Grow Light Meter

Photone - Grow Light Meter

Perfectly light your plants!

4.9K ratings
238 reviews
🔧 Utilities
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated

Features

Developer

Lightray Innovation GmbH
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Photone - Grow Light Meter screenshot #1 for iPhone
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About

This app acts as a professional-grade light meter for plants, measuring PAR, PPFD, DLI, and more using your device's camera. It helps optimize plant lighting by providing accurate readings and in-app guides, with optional advanced features available through purchase.

✓Measure PAR, PPFD, DLI, lux, foot-candles, and kelvin
✓Research-grade accuracy using device camera
✓Pre-calibrated for specific devices
✓In-app guides and tools
✓Light source selection for various grow lights
✓Hands-free 'read aloud' function
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What users say

Summarized from real user reviews of Photone. Based on 4.9K reviews and a 4.6/5 average, it highlights the 5 positives and 5 negatives reviewers mention most about this Utilities app.

Positive things

  • 🚀Accurate readings
  • 💡Helpful for growing plants
  • 👍Easy to use
  • 🚀Saves money compared to expensive meters
  • 👍Useful for adjusting lighting

Negative things

  • 🐛Inconsistent readings
  • 💰Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🔒Requires additional equipment (diffuser) to work properly
  • 🐛Readings not accurate without calibration
  • 🔒Limited functionality in free version
See all reviews

What's New in Photone

4.5.2

August 19, 2026

Log all day: the Toolbox battery saver now ensures auto-logging runs use far less battery.

Subscription plans

Photone Pro (Monthly)

Photone Pro (Monthly)

$5.491 Month
How to cancel Photone subscription ⁉️
3

In-App Purchases

$5.49

MH lifetime unlock

Metal Halide (MH) Lamp

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

Does not work properly on iPhone 17 Pro! Take your money elsewhere.

Paid for the extras, lux is completely different vs external meter, used exactly the paper diffuser as instructed, tried different paper types even! Tried resetting phone, redownloading etc to no success. Wont even let me recalibrate as ‘too far outside parameter’. To make matters worse the refund request was denied! For a product that doesn’t work!
Do yourself a favour and just buy a real meter or try a different app. VERY DISCOURAGING!!!
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LRichards95LRichards95

Angela Rocks!

I haven’t tried the diffuser yet, I’m still in process of “growing my orchid set up”. However the customer service to include the links needed for learning and buying what I need were all given by Angela through email correspondence.
It’s been so long since I had actual customer service -I forgot how nice it feels!
I wish the same team would be involved in all aspects of my life!!!
You all are awesome!
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Justme6970Justme6970

No support

I paid for the diffuser. I paid for the led with red light reader. It worked for a while. Now I get no reading at all. Removed and reloaded with no improvement. Go to support page. No support at all. Zero. Dead end on app. Wants you to buy “pro” for support. I just want readings. All my settings are good. Still won’t give any readings at all
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MbchicagoMbchicago

Expensive!

This app works but I am not paying $100 for full functionality and I like to own things completely. This monthly subscription thing is nonsense. I would pay $30 to own this app with all its functionality. Thats what it’s worth and you would make more sales and have happier customers if you were not so greedy. BTW you can just use Rizla paper as a filter. Saves flaff with scissors and tape!
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BongoToadBongoToad

Can’t test sunlight for free

I made their paper diffuser and started measuring an area only to be stopped. If you want to measure sunlight, you have to pay over $5.
KMDM4KMDM4
See 233 more reviews

Developer apps

Light Meter LM-3000
Light Meter LM-3000

Simple & accurate measurement!

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Free
In-App Purchases
See developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

3 issues

Readings don't change with proximity

Bug

Diffuser requirement not made clear upfront

Bug

Purchased features not working as expected

Bug
✨

Requested Features

4 requests

Add calibration feature

Feature

Expand supported light types in free version

Feature

Improve accuracy across different devices

Feature

Provide a one-time purchase option instead of subscription

Feature

FAQ

What does Photone do?

Photone is a mobile application that functions as a highly accurate light meter for plants. It uses your device's camera to measure various light metrics such as PAR, PPFD, DLI, lux, foot-candles, and color temperature (kelvin). This data helps users understand and optimize the lighting conditions for their plants.

What are the key features of Photone?

Key features include industry-leading accuracy comparable to professional PAR sensors, pre-calibration for your specific device, and excellent low light sensitivity. It also offers in-app guides, light source selection for different grow lights, and a hands-free 'read aloud' function. Some advanced features like Extended PAR and underwater measurement modes require an in-app purchase.

How much does Photone cost?

Photone is free to download and use with all basic features, and it contains no ads. To unlock its full potential and access advanced features, users can opt for a one-time lifetime unlock purchase or a Pro subscription. These upgrades support the app's development and environmental initiatives.

What devices is Photone compatible with?

The app description implies compatibility with smartphones and tablets that have a camera. While specific operating system versions are not mentioned, it is generally designed to work on modern mobile devices. The accuracy of measurements can be influenced by the quality of the device's camera sensor.

What are common use cases for Photone?

Common use cases include optimizing grow light setups for indoor plants, ensuring plants receive the correct amount of light for photosynthesis, diagnosing lighting issues, and fine-tuning lighting for specific plant species. It's also useful for hobbyists and professional growers alike to achieve better plant growth and health.