# Lightme vs Manual Flash Calculator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightme at 91% against Manual Flash Calculator's 0%. Lightme also leads on price (Free vs $2.99) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.1). Manual Flash Calculator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Lightme is free to download; Manual Flash Calculator costs $2.99 up front. Lightme sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Manual Flash Calculator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lightme ships an update every 3 weeks, Manual Flash Calculator every 11 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightme | Manual Flash Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (942 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **942** | — |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 9 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giuseppe Bertolini](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509033789) | [Winterink](https://appshunter.io/developer/324469683) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightme

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790)

This powerful light meter app offers a clean, intuitive interface optimized for one-handed use. It displays multiple aperture and shutter speed combinations simultaneously, aiding quick setting selection. Suitable for beginners and experienced photographers alike, it includes advanced features like spot metering, reciprocity failure compensation, and pinhole mode.

**Highlights:** Multiple exposure settings display, One-handed operation, Spot metering with zoom, Reciprocity failure compensation, Pinhole mode, Incident light metering, Film database

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Espresso ristretto | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pecorino Romano | $4.99 | one-time |
| Guanciale | $9.99 | one-time |
| Parmigiano | $16.99 | one-time |
| Pizza for two | $29.99 | one-time |
| Do this full-time | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate metering
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Comprehensive features (spot metering, zone system, film stock selection, etc.)
- 🚀 Consistently accurate exposures
- 👍 Thoughtful design with user's needs in mind

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 👎 Confusing or cluttered interface for some users
- 👎 Tedious film selection process
- 🐛 Inaccurate metering in certain lighting conditions

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 16
- Metering issues with certain camera/lens combinations

**Requested features**

- Add shutter angle adjustment for cinematography
- Implement ISO lock feature
- Add more film stock profiles
- Improve film selection process (e.g. search, categories)
- Provide more customization options (e.g. interface themes)


### Manual Flash Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manual-flash-calculator/id6739006004)

This app assists photographers by calculating camera and flash settings for manual flash photography. It allows users to create gear lists and kits, and then use this information to determine the fourth parameter (like flash power) when any three of the four relevant settings are known.

**Highlights:** Manual flash photography calculator, Configure camera and flash settings, Calculate missing parameter from three inputs, Create and manage gear lists, Organize gear into custom kits, Persistent local data storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightme free?

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

### Is Manual Flash Calculator free?

Manual Flash Calculator costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Lightme or Manual Flash Calculator have ads?

Neither Lightme nor Manual Flash Calculator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightme or Manual Flash Calculator?

Lightme ships an update every 3 weeks, and Manual Flash Calculator every 11 days. Most recently, Lightme was updated on October 25, 2026 and Manual Flash Calculator on October 25, 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.*