# Spectro by Variable vs MediaBuddy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MediaBuddy at 100% against Spectro by Variable's 50%. MediaBuddy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Spectro by Variable's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 47 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Spectro by Variable is free to download; MediaBuddy costs $1.99 up front. Spectro by Variable sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. MediaBuddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

MediaBuddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spectro by Variable has 118 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Spectro by Variable's written reviews are positive against 100% of MediaBuddy's.

Spectro by Variable ships an update every 3 weeks, MediaBuddy every 47 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spectro by Variable | MediaBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectro-by-variable/id1399186748/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mediabuddy/id1602768488/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **118** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 47 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 84 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Variable Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/569541572) | [Denis Leconte](https://appshunter.io/developer/1602768490) |

## What reviewers say

### Spectro by Variable

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectro-by-variable/id1399186748)

This app enables color professionals to precisely measure, match, and communicate color data using connected devices. Access extensive color libraries and analyze spectral curves for accurate results anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Scan, match, and compare colors, View spectral curves and LAB values, Access extensive brand color libraries, Analyze colors under multiple light sources, Store and export scan data, Create and store color standards

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $15.99 | per month |
| Quality Control Module | $75.00 | per month |
| Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual | $149.99 | per year |


### MediaBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mediabuddy/id1602768488)

Estimate video and audio file sizes, network transfer times, and LTO tape write times. Supports various professional media formats like ProRes, DNxHD, DPX, TIFF, and DCPs.

**Highlights:** Estimate video/audio file sizes, Calculate network transfer times, Estimate LTO tape write times, Supports ProRes, Supports DNxHD, Supports DPX, TIFF, DCPs

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spectro by Variable free?

Spectro by Variable is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MediaBuddy free?

MediaBuddy costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Spectro by Variable or MediaBuddy?

MediaBuddy is rated higher. Spectro by Variable averages 4.8 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while MediaBuddy averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Spectro by Variable or MediaBuddy have ads?

Neither Spectro by Variable nor MediaBuddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spectro by Variable or MediaBuddy?

Spectro by Variable ships an update every 3 weeks, and MediaBuddy every 47 months. Most recently, Spectro by Variable was updated on October 5, 2026 and MediaBuddy on October 1, 2026.

---

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