# PQ Calc vs Light Meter

The clearest difference is price: Light Meter at Free against PQ Calc's $4.99. Light Meter also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 22 months). PQ Calc's advantage is iOS requirement (14.2 vs 16.0). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Light Meter is free to download; PQ Calc costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PQ Calc against 5.0 for Light Meter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

PQ Calc ships an update every 22 months, Light Meter every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PQ Calc | Light Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pq-calc/id1541419476/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-tsingland/id6479873859/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.2** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Avical](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534335247) | [景天 吕](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724677108) |

## What reviewers say

### PQ Calc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pq-calc/id1541419476)

Easily convert luminance levels (nits) to digital values and vice versa using the SMPTE ST 2084 (PQ) electro-optical transfer function. Supports various bit depths and ranges for professional video workflows.

**Highlights:** Bi-directional conversion, Luminance (nit) to digital level, Digital level to luminance (nit), Supports Full, SMPTE, SDI-Full ranges, Calculations in float, percent, 8-16bit

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-tsingland/id6479873859)

This neumorphism-style light meter offers aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual modes. It allows users to adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity for precise photography.

**Highlights:** Aperture Priority Mode (A), Shutter Priority Mode (S), Manual Mode, Adjustable Shutter Speed, Adjustable Aperture, Adjustable ISO Sensitivity

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PQ Calc free?

PQ Calc costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Light Meter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PQ Calc or Light Meter?

PQ Calc and Light Meter are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do PQ Calc or Light Meter have ads?

Neither PQ Calc nor Light Meter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PQ Calc or Light Meter?

PQ Calc ships an update every 22 months, and Light Meter every 2 months. Most recently, PQ Calc was updated on October 9, 2026 and Light Meter on October 24, 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.*