Candle vs Reading Light
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Candle
Simulate a realistic flickering candle flame on your device. This app uses a unique algorithm to create dynamic lighting effects and shadows, offering a relaxing ambiance. Customize the flame color to suit your mood.
- Realistic flickering flame simulation
- Dynamic lighting and shadow effects
- Customizable flame color
- Creates relaxing ambiance
- Simulates real candle behavior
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Create a safe and relaxing ambiance from your phone with a click – no matches needed. You might have noticed that other candle apps just show an image or animation of a candle, but the effect they give doesn't come at all close to a real candle. This app is different because it uses a carefully calibrated algorithm to simulate the lighting effects of a real candle. If you point your phone at a wall or some other surface you'll be able to see shadows move and the light flicker gently and naturally. You can also change the color for a variety of moods. Note that smaller iOS devices in particular don't give off as much light as a real candle, so this app won't light your room but the effect does come close. We hope you like it!
Reading Light
Transform your device into a calming reading light or a mood lamp. Offers adjustable screen light for late-night reading and soothing visual effects to help you unwind.
- Adjustable warm/neutral white light
- Solid color selection
- Gradient color blends
- Realistic candle flicker effect
- Ambient visual effects
- Full-screen glow
- Adjustable brightness
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Transform your iPhone or iPad into a calm reading light and beautiful mood lamp. Reading Light – Nightlight gives you clean, adjustable screen light for bedtime reading, plus soothing visuals to unwind - no sounds, just light. Your go-to reading light Set warm or neutral whites for eye-friendly, late-night reading without disturbing others. Beyond basic lighting Solid Colors: Pick any hue to match your mood. Gradient Glow: Smooth, relaxing color blends. Candle Mode: A gentle, realistic flicker—screen only. Lava-style & more: Mesmerizing ambient effects for chill vibes. Why you’ll love it Simple controls, full-screen glow, adjustable brightness, and a clean interface focused on pure light. Whether you’re reading in bed, creating a cozy corner, or winding down, light up your night with Reading Light – Nightlight. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy Policy: https://img2pdf.org/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Candle at 59% against Reading Light's 0%. Candle also leads on iOS requirement (7.0 vs 18.0). Reading Light's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 2.8). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Candle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Reading Light sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Reading Light holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Candle's written reviews are positive against 0% of Reading Light's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Candle ships an update monthly, Reading Light every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Candle | Reading Light |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (14 ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | Cloud Garden Ltd | Artiom Yakoventsev |
Customer experience
Candle
Reading Light
In-app purchases
Candle
- Ads Free$1.99
Reading Light
- Weekly Premium3 Days trial$3.997 Days
- Lifetime Premium$19.99
Questions
Is Candle free?
Is Reading Light free?
Which has better reviews, Candle or Reading Light?
Do Candle or Reading Light have ads?
Which is updated more often, Candle or Reading Light?
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