# Metal Detector EMF vs Stud Finder®

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Metal Detector EMF at 68% against Stud Finder®'s 8%. Metal Detector EMF also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Stud Finder®'s advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (23K vs 2.5K). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Metal Detector EMF sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Stud Finder® sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Metal Detector EMF holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stud Finder® has 23K ratings behind it against 2.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Metal Detector EMF's written reviews are positive against 8% of Stud Finder®'s.

Metal Detector EMF ships an update every 9 months, Stud Finder® every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Metal Detector EMF | Stud Finder® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metal-detector-emf/id1073102084/reviews)** | [4.4 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stud-finder/id1484289588/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.5K | **23K** |
| Positive reviews | **68.4% of reviews** | 7.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExaMobile S.A.](https://appshunter.io/developer/506014841) | [Tue Nguyen Minh](https://appshunter.io/developer/434811167) |

## What reviewers say

### Metal Detector EMF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metal-detector-emf/id1073102084)

This application uses your smartphone's magnetic sensor to detect nearby metal objects. It can help you find hidden metallic items, act as a treasure hunting tool, or even assist in ghost hunting by visualizing magnetic field trends. Requires a device with a magnetic sensor to function.

**Highlights:** Detects nearby metal, Measures magnetic field, Finds hidden metallic objects, Acts as a treasure hunter tool, Assists ghost hunters, Visualizes reading trends with a graph

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AdBlock - Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works great
- 👍 Surprisingly accurate
- 🔍 Helpful for finding lost items
- 💡 Innovative use of phone sensors
- 🔍 Useful for locating property markers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🔍 Limited detection range
- 🔍 Only detects magnetic metals
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Settings page not functioning
- App crashes on some devices
- Inaccurate readings in certain situations

**Requested features**

- Ability to detect non-magnetic metals
- Improved sensitivity and detection range
- Option to calibrate the sensor
- Metal identification feature


### Stud Finder®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stud-finder/id1484289588)

This utility app uses your iPhone's magnetometer to detect metal studs behind walls. Simply hold your device near the wall and observe the indicator for changes in the magnetic field. For best results, remove any external case from your phone.

**Highlights:** Detect metal studs, Uses magnetometer, Measures magnetic field, Indicator for metal proximity, Instructions for accuracy

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stud Finder Pro (Weekly) | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Stud Finder Pro (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro Features | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurately detects metal objects
- 💡 Innovative use of phone sensors
- 👍 Helpful for specific use cases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Aggressive monetization with constant upgrade prompts
- 🐛 Inconsistent and unreliable performance
- 👎 Limited functionality in free version
- 🕰️ Extremely short usage time before lockout

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to detect known metal objects
- Erratic behavior and constant beeping
- Upgrade issues even after purchase

**Requested features**

- Ability to detect wooden studs
- Longer free trial period
- More intuitive user interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Metal Detector EMF free?

Metal Detector EMF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Stud Finder® free?

Stud Finder® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Metal Detector EMF or Stud Finder®?

Metal Detector EMF is rated higher. Metal Detector EMF averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Stud Finder® averages 4.4 from 23K ratings.

### Do Metal Detector EMF or Stud Finder® have ads?

Neither Metal Detector EMF nor Stud Finder® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Metal Detector EMF or Stud Finder®?

Metal Detector EMF ships an update every 9 months, and Stud Finder® every 5 weeks. Most recently, Metal Detector EMF was updated on November 6, 2026 and Stud Finder® on November 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*