# Thermal Viewer vs IR explorer

The clearest difference is rating: Thermal Viewer at 4.3 against IR explorer's 3.1. Thermal Viewer also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). IR explorer's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (38 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Thermal Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IR explorer has 38 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 17% of Thermal Viewer's written reviews are positive against 27% of IR explorer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Thermal Viewer ships an update every 6 weeks, IR explorer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thermal Viewer | IR explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermal-viewer/id1440101318/reviews)** | [3.1 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ir-explorer/id1580206229/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **38** |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | **27.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Wuhan Guide Infrared Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/688744536) | [InfiRay Technologies Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1516230719) |

## What reviewers say

### Thermal Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermal-viewer/id1440101318)

This application allows users to control and capture images and videos from a thermal camera. It offers adjustments for zoom, color palettes, brightness, contrast, and image enhancement. Users can also manage camera settings like sleep timers and indicator lights.

**Highlights:** Adjustable zoom, pseudocolor, brightness, contrast, Image enhancement, Photo and video capture, View captured images and videos, Adjust auto-sleep and auto-shutdown timers, Control indicator lights and laser cursor

**In-app purchases:** none


### IR explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ir-explorer/id1580206229)

This app transforms your smartphone into an infrared camera, allowing you to see objects emitting heat in dark environments. It offers clear imaging, various filter effects, and real-time temperature detection for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals.

**Highlights:** Infrared camera functionality, Clear night vision imaging, Temperature detection, Multiple filter effects, Hot spot tracking, Laser pointing function

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thermal Viewer free?

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

### Is IR explorer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thermal Viewer or IR explorer?

Thermal Viewer is rated higher. Thermal Viewer averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while IR explorer averages 3.1 from 38 ratings.

### Do Thermal Viewer or IR explorer have ads?

Neither Thermal Viewer nor IR explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thermal Viewer or IR explorer?

Thermal Viewer ships an update every 6 weeks, and IR explorer fortnightly. Most recently, Thermal Viewer was updated on October 3, 2026 and IR explorer on October 15, 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.*