# Self vs LightMeter Express

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Self at none against LightMeter Express's 1. Self also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.6). LightMeter Express's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 6 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LightMeter Express sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Self asks for nothing beyond the download.

LightMeter Express holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Self's written reviews are positive against 88% of LightMeter Express's.

Self ships an update every 6 weeks, LightMeter Express daily. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Self | LightMeter Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-portrait-project/id1239108492/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmeter-express/id6748661409/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Self Portrait Project, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1239108491) | [Digitaino LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822882839) |

## What reviewers say

### Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-portrait-project/id1239108492)

This app allows you to control a photo booth kiosk from your phone to take and share self-portraits. Browse a curated archive of user-submitted images and contribute your own to an interactive art project.

**Highlights:** Control photo kiosk camera remotely, Capture and view photos instantly on phone, Share photos with friends, Contribute to the Self-Portrait Project archive, Browse photos by date, place, or keyword

**In-app purchases:** none


### LightMeter Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmeter-express/id6748661409)

This tool transforms your iPhone into a professional light meter for photography. It offers accurate exposure readings with real-time calculations for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, supporting various camera settings and providing exposure compensation.

**Highlights:** Real-time light metering, Precise exposure calculations, Support for standard camera settings, Exposure value (EV) display, Spot metering (Pro feature), Live histogram (Pro feature)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Light Meter Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Self free?

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

### Is LightMeter Express free?

LightMeter Express is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Self or LightMeter Express?

LightMeter Express is rated higher. Self averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while LightMeter Express averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Self or LightMeter Express have ads?

Neither Self nor LightMeter Express shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Self or LightMeter Express?

Self ships an update every 6 weeks, and LightMeter Express daily. Most recently, Self was updated on October 6, 2026 and LightMeter Express on October 13, 2026.

---

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