# Lens Buddy vs Chronodev

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chronodev at none against Lens Buddy's 14. Lens Buddy's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (34K vs 2). On price, review sentiment, 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. Chronodev asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lens Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lens Buddy has 34K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 94% of Lens Buddy's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chronodev's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lens Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, Chronodev monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lens Buddy | Chronodev |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lens-buddy-self-timer-camera/id1289471945/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chronodev-darkroom-timer/id6478027671/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 94.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#154** | — |
| Size | 33 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lens Buddy Selfie Timer Photo Video Filter Camera LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1289471944) | [Kevin Olmats](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480968856) |

## What reviewers say

### Lens Buddy

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

**Currently charting:** #154 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #191 Top Free · 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

**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


### Chronodev

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chronodev-darkroom-timer/id6478027671)

This app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a darkroom enlarger timer. It uses HomeKit-enabled devices to control your enlarger and safelights, offering features like manual control, metronome for dodging/burning, and automatic test strip creation.

**Highlights:** iPhone/iPad enlarger timer, HomeKit device control, Manual enlarger focusing, Metronome for dodging/burning, EV stop time adjustments, Automatic test strip creation, Voice control support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lens Buddy free?

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

### Is Chronodev free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lens Buddy or Chronodev?

Lens Buddy is rated higher. Lens Buddy averages 4.9 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while Chronodev averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Lens Buddy or Chronodev have ads?

Neither Lens Buddy nor Chronodev shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lens Buddy or Chronodev?

Lens Buddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and Chronodev monthly. Most recently, Lens Buddy was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chronodev on June 7, 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.*