# Lens Buddy vs This App is a Light Meter

The clearest difference is rating: Lens Buddy at 4.9 against This App is a Light Meter's 4.1. Lens Buddy also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (34K vs 13). This App is a Light Meter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lens Buddy sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. This App is a Light Meter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lens Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lens Buddy has 34K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Lens Buddy's written reviews are positive against 78% of This App is a Light Meter's.

Lens Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, This App is a Light Meter every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lens Buddy | This App is a Light Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lens-buddy-self-timer-camera/id1289471945/reviews)** | [4.1 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-app-is-a-light-meter/id1449194398/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **94.2% of reviews** | 77.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#171** | — |
| Size | 32 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.2 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lens Buddy Selfie Timer Photo Video Filter Camera LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1289471944) | [Oak Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/554314612) |

## What reviewers say

### Lens Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lens-buddy-self-timer-camera/id1289471945)

**Currently charting:** #171 Top Grossing · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app allows you to take hands-free photos and videos using a customizable timer. It's ideal for solo photoshoots, group pictures, and content creation, offering features like a photo booth mode and high-quality capture.

**Highlights:** Customizable timer, Photo Booth mode, High-quality photo capture, Video recording, Built-in gallery for rating and organizing, RAW photo support, Burst mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly PRO | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly PRO | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly PRO | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly PRO | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly PRO | $9.99 | per month |
| Special | $14.99 | per year |
| Special | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly PRO | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Customizable timer and photo settings
- 💡 Ability to take multiple photos at once
- 👍 Convenient for solo photography
- 👍 Organized photo management within the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🐛 Issues with photo saving and transfer
- 🔒 Cannot fully mute the shutter sound
- 💰 Subscription model concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Photos not saving in order
- Inconsistent photo count between app and export

**Requested features**

- Ability to invert camera view
- Option to only save liked/approved photos
- Zip/batch photo export
- Apple Watch integration as a viewfinder


### This App is a Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-app-is-a-light-meter/id1449194398)

This app transforms your phone into a light meter for pinhole photography. It helps calculate precise exposure times and includes a timer and inverter for developing your negatives.

**Highlights:** Light meter for pinhole cameras, Calculates exposure time, Integrated timer, Negative inverter, Works with any pinhole camera

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lens Buddy free?

Lens Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is This App is a Light Meter free?

This App is a Light Meter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lens Buddy or This App is a Light Meter?

Lens Buddy is rated higher. Lens Buddy averages 4.9 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while This App is a Light Meter averages 4.1 from 13 ratings.

### Do Lens Buddy or This App is a Light Meter have ads?

Neither Lens Buddy nor This App is a Light Meter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lens Buddy or This App is a Light Meter?

Lens Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and This App is a Light Meter every 3 months. Most recently, Lens Buddy was updated on October 30, 2026 and This App is a Light Meter on October 24, 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.*