# Plant Light Meter — user reviews

> 119 indexed App Store user reviews of Plant Light Meter by Studio Nano Ship, Inc., rated 4.60/5 from 1,077 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plant-light-meter/id1213431133/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plant-light-meter/id1213431133.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 861 · 4★ 113 · 3★ 27 · 2★ 12 · 1★ 64

## What do users think of Plant Light Meter?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Accurate and helpful
- 💡 Useful for newbie plant owners
- 💡 Saves time and guesswork
- 🚀 Quick and easy measurements

**Cons**

- 🐛 Limited plant database
- 🐛 Inaccurate readings
- 🐛 Measures leaf color, not light
- 🐛 Broken after recent update
- 🐛 Doesn't work on newer devices

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Fails to access camera
- Inconsistent light readings
- Completely inaccurate measurements
- Stopped working after update

**Most requested features**

- Add more plant varieties
- Allow use of front-facing camera
- Provide numerical light readings
- Add watering information
- Improve compatibility with latest devices

## Newest reviews (15 of 119)

### 4/5 — Works well

*2026-03-29, version 3.20.1*

I was going to buy a light metre for my plants, but it’s so much nicer to have it on my phone. It works well, but I haven’t tested against an actual light metre so I’m assuming that it’s fairly accurate. I would agree with its readings based on where I have my plants located.

### 2/5 — Not accurate

*2025-03-06, version 3.20.1*

I tried to find my carnivorous plants on the list and they weren’t there, with grow lights turned off told me there was sufficient light but when I turned on my 40 watt grow lights it said insufficient light. Waste of money.

### 4/5 — Plant names unknown to non-English speakers

*2023-02-28, version 3.20.1*

There should be an option to search plants by their botanical name. Not being an English native speaker, I had no idea that the Tradescantia was called “Wandering dude” (…… why? 🤨🙄)
Same goes with several other plants, so not quite user friendly for us 😕

### 3/5 — Wish I hadn’t paid before trying

*2023-02-20, version 3.20.1*

It’s a cool concept, but it’s got a limited list of plants to check from and half of mine aren’t on it. This was recommended online as a free app, I wish I’d have tried it before paying.

### 4/5 — Great tool

*2023-01-16, version 3.20.1*

I have marked all my plants as favourites, but I have 2 plants that were not in the list of plants on the app. That’s why 4 stars. Also the app doesn’t talk about watering, it only talks about sunlight. Watering and a few more plants would be a good upgrade, but the app helps me to remember the name of my plants and I’ve moved some around to help them get the light that’s meant for each individual plant. If I’ve learned anything, you have to treat their needs individually.

### 3/5 — Missing common plant!

*2022-10-01, version 3.20.0*

Cannabis plant is not one of the available options. 😕

### 3/5 — Lux Messung fraglich

*2022-05-02, version 3.17.1*

Warum nur drei Sterne für diese App..
Die Messungen der Licht Intensität weicht doch sehr stark- je nach Entfernung vom Messpunkt ab. Welchen Abstand zur Pflanze sollte man bitte einhalten 🤔
Drei Messungen 30cm - 60cm - 1m bringen jeweils unterschiedliche Ergebnisse.
Drei Sterne für die pflanzenvielfalt und deren Lichtbedarf.

### 3/5 — Ausbaufähig

*2022-04-16, version 3.17.1*

Ob die Messdaten akkurat sind, kann ich leider nicht feststellen. Ich gehe einfach mal davon aus. 

Leider ist die App aber nur bedingt nutzbar, denn sehr viele Pflanzenarten fehlen leider. Sei es die klassische Pilea peperomioides oder auch ein einfacher Basilikum.

Zudem ist die Auswahl der Pflanze ein Alptraum. Hier sollte per Text-Eingabe gesucht werden können, zudem wäre ein Foto der Pflanze hilfreich.

### 4/5 — Mir fehlen Küchenpflanzen!

*2021-12-20, version 3.11.1*

Ich finde die App auch sehr gut, allerdings würde ich mir wünschen, dass zum Beispiel auch Kresse, Minze etc. berücksichtigt wird. Gerade diese Pflanzen ging ja sehr schnell ein, da sie entweder zu wenig gegossen werden oder eben zu wenig Licht haben… Das wäre echt noch eine Verbesserung.

### 5/5 — Happy to be Wrong!

*2021-10-22, version 3.11.1*

Thought I wasn’t going to like this app, but I was wrong. No more guessing, no more trying to figure out lumens, lux, candle 😝 Takes all the guesswork out!

Only complaint, not enough plants!! PLEASE add more. Even if it’s as a paid add on, it would be worth it!!

### 4/5 — Muy práctica

*2021-09-24, version 3.11.1*

Muy útil para el cuidado de tus plantas. 
4 estrellas porque faltan plantas muy comunes y porque al no estar en español a veces es un poco complicado encontrar la planta que buscas

### 5/5 — Such a cool idea!

*2021-06-27, version 3.9.0*

Love this app, super nice to be able to get different light readings using my phone! I would request support for trees commonly used for bonsai, like Chinese elm and juniper!

### 4/5 — Great but could b better

*2021-06-17, version 3.8.0*

This is a great easy to use app. However when u’re in the light detection mode, it only lists plants by common name and u have to scroll through everything. I have to go into the Guide to look for the scientific name and then return to the meter and re-scroll through the 70 odd names. The database doesn’t keep up with all the latest varieties and it can be difficult to check. Eg peperomia is a very diverse genus and more variegated varieties require more light than green ones. But nonetheless the app saves me downloading another light meter and googling to determine the appropriate light range.

### 4/5 — Sehr hilfreich, aber ausbaufähig

*2021-06-08, version 3.7.0*

Die App ist definitiv sehr hilfreich. Jedoch finde ich persönlich, dass die botanischen Namen verwendet werden sollten. Somit besteht keine Verwechslungsgefahr. Außerdem, finde ich, wäre es toll wenn die Pflanzen nicht nur in ihre Familien sonder auch in die einzelnen Arten aufgeteilt wären. Jedenfalls bei den, wo es tatsächlich einen Unterschied macht. Beispielsweise braucht eine Calathea White Fusion oder Orbifolia eine anderes Lichtspecktrum als eine Calathea Ornata. Aber letzteres ist nur „Meckern“ auf hohem Niveau. Grundsätzlich ist die App toll und eine große Hilfe.
Die Bedienung ist super einfach, das Design ist smart und simpel. Außerdem auch ansprechend, durch eingefügte Emojis.

### 3/5 — Room for improvement

*2021-05-30, version 3.7.0*

The app works well but a lot of plants are not in this app

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Beware

*2023-12-02, version 3.20.1*

Bought it and it doesn’t tell exact numbers, way off from normal meters you regularly buy

### 1/5 — Pflanzenlicht

*2022-09-12, version 3.20.0*

Für mich leider unbrauchbar!
Für mich sind die tatsächlichen (nummerischen) Luxwerte wichtig.

### 1/5 — Ungeeignet

*2022-09-04, version 3.20.0*

Die App ist für meine Bedürfnisse absolut ungeeignet-3,50€ für eine App, die gerade mal einen Bruchteil meiner Zimmerpflanzen führt (nein, habe keine Exoten)! Caladium, Monstera Monkey Leaf, Monstera Minima usw fehlen. Und dann noch die Suche-mal deutsche, mal botanische Namen! Geldverschwendung!!!

### 1/5 — Faltan idiomas

*2021-12-19, version 3.11.1*

Falta idioma en Español y más utilidades para las plantas…. Necesita mejorar mucho …..

### 1/5 — Not very useful . Use google instead.

*2021-05-04, version 3.6.2*

Non of the plants I have were on the app and they are common plants :( 
Sorry but is a waste of money. 
I went to google instead. 
Also the app doesn’t detect what kind of plant you have so it gives the same advice for all of them.

### 1/5 — Don’t bother

*2021-02-17, version 3.3.0*

Collect names and emails to measure light ? No thanks

### 1/5 — Please change it back

*2020-12-31, version 3.0.0*

Way too difficult to use with this update. I purchased this because you could simply point the camera towards the light source wherever the plant is situated. But now you have to take a picture of green foliage that the light source falls on which is difficult to do if the plant is against a window — also makes it unusable for non-green plants and plants with sparse leaves.

### 1/5 — Don’t waste your money

*2020-11-16, version 2.0.3*

Bought this to help me figure out if certain places in my home were good for particular plants, and even in a bright window, it tells me “too low”....doesn’t make sense. Wish I didn’t buy.

### 1/5 — HATE THE UPDATE

*2020-10-31, version 2.0.3*

Go back to the old version, it worked so much better. This one is entirely not accurate!! BOOOOOOOO I would not have paid for it had I known they would entirely change it.

### 1/5 — I don’t think it’s accurate

*2020-10-26, version 2.0.3*

I love my plants so I went to get this app to see how much light they are getting so far it registers low light on all of them in spite of different location and time of the day I had been checking. It keeps registering low light. What a waste of money!!

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Accurate and humble

*2024-05-30, version 3.20.1*

Very easy to use, not at all over complicated. The price is worth it.

### 5/5 — Pretty awesome!

*2022-11-18, version 3.20.1*

I usually randomly test plants to make sure they’re getting enough light. I live in a basement apartment and they only rely on grow lights. This is pretty accurate and so helpful. My plants are thriving in my conditions. People complain that there’s some plants missing but all you have to do is use the all plants feature and see how many fc there is and look up how much your plants need.

### 5/5 — Skeptical at first but life saver for newbies

*2022-07-25, version 3.19.0*

My house only has north and south facing windows with trees or house structures blocking window light. I found it a struggle finding the best place to put plants but this app helps a ton. All my plants have been doing well and I credit this app in helping me along my plant hobby journey.

### 5/5 — Surprisingly Almost fun

*2022-07-24, version 3.19.0*

Works Quick and easy will surprise you.

### 5/5 — Plant light

*2022-07-13, version 3.19.0*

Very useful in the green house

### 5/5 — Awesome

*2022-06-24, version 3.19.0*

This app helped me a lot for my lighting situation for indoor or outdoor plants great app keep it up.

### 5/5 — Simple

*2022-04-19, version 3.17.1*

Does exactly what I need it to do easily, effectively and elegantly. 👌

### 5/5 — so helpful

*2022-03-11, version 3.15.0*

now I know why!

### 5/5 — Amazing FREE Plant Light App!!

*2022-02-21, version 3.15.0*

I’m always on the search for a truly FREE plant app. This one is awesome and I’d say pretty accurate for lighting. Wish it had a few more options for indoor plants. Like orchids.

### 5/5 — App works great

*2022-02-08, version 3.14.0*

Even without putting it on leaves, it works great. Worth the money

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*