# DESA vs Light Meter

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DESA at none against Light Meter's 3. DESA also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light Meter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. DESA asks for nothing beyond the download.

DESA ships an update every 3 weeks, Light Meter every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DESA | Light Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Size | 189 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dr. Leber Datentechnik GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1338475111) | [Phuc Pham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893081423) |

## What reviewers say

### DESA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desa/id1163795151)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-photo-exposure/id6772270533)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sunny 16 Rule Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Film Photography Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| ND Filter Calc, Pay Once | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DESA free?

DESA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Light Meter free?

Light Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do DESA or Light Meter have ads?

Neither DESA nor Light Meter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DESA or Light Meter?

DESA ships an update every 3 weeks, and Light Meter every 4 weeks. Most recently, DESA was updated on October 17, 2026 and Light Meter on October 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.*