# The Darkroom Lab vs ZoneCalc

The clearest difference is rating: ZoneCalc at 5.0 against The Darkroom Lab's 3.7. The Darkroom Lab's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (89 vs 3). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ZoneCalc sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Darkroom Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

ZoneCalc holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Darkroom Lab has 89 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Darkroom Lab | ZoneCalc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-darkroom-lab/id1528784514/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zonecalc-zone-system-meter/id6772102746/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **89** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 44.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 52 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Darkroom](https://appshunter.io/developer/1528784516) | [Juergen Suk](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772102748) |

## What reviewers say

### The Darkroom Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-darkroom-lab/id1528784514)

View your developed film photos as soon as they are scanned. This app connects you to a professional film developing service with decades of experience.

**Highlights:** View scanned film photos, Professional film developing, Experienced lab professionals, Access photos as soon as scanned

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### ZoneCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zonecalc-zone-system-meter/id6772102746)

This app assists photographers in precisely calculating exposure and tonal placement using Ansel Adams' Zone System. It offers features for metering, reciprocity correction, and development adjustments, with options for multi-point measurements and data export.

**Highlights:** Zone System exposure calculation, Multi-point metering, Reciprocity correction, Development adjustment recommendations, Film-specific development times, Calculation history and export

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ZoneCalc Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Darkroom Lab free?

The Darkroom Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ZoneCalc free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Darkroom Lab or ZoneCalc?

ZoneCalc is rated higher. The Darkroom Lab averages 3.7 out of 5 from 89 ratings, while ZoneCalc averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do The Darkroom Lab or ZoneCalc have ads?

Neither The Darkroom Lab nor ZoneCalc shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Darkroom Lab or ZoneCalc?

The Darkroom Lab ships an update every 3 weeks, and ZoneCalc every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Darkroom Lab was updated on October 29, 2026 and ZoneCalc on October 31, 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.*