Comparison

Lightme vs Spooli

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lightme

This app helps analog photographers meticulously track their film rolls, shots, and development processes. It allows for detailed logging of gear and consumables, with features for data visualization and export. Users can also manage film holders and add post-development notes with photos of final results.

Highlights
  • Log film rolls, shots, and development
  • Track gear and consumables
  • Data visualization with graphs/histograms
  • Data export in JSON/CSV formats
  • Manage large format film holders
  • Post-development notes with photos
Features
Read full description

Lightme - Logbook is a clean and powerful tool to record and keep track of your rolls, shots, developments, and all the gear that revolves around shooting film — from 35mm to medium and large format. The idea behind it is simple: logging a shot should take seconds, not steal time from actually shooting. Lightme pairs a beautiful, immediate interface with enough depth and flexibility to fit any workflow, whether you shoot a couple of rolls a year or fill several large format holders in an afternoon. LOGGING, EFFORTLESSLY • Log a shot in seconds: aperture, shutter speed, focal length, filters, bellows correction, measured EV, notes and more • Log straight from your wrist with the companion Apple Watch app, with Siri and Shortcuts, or from the home screen and lock screen widgets • Together with the Lightme Lightmeter app, your meter readings can prefill a new shot automatically • Every shot can carry a location and address, a preview photo, and later its final scan, plus a star rating ROLLS, SHEETS AND DEVELOPMENTS • Track rolls from loading to unloading, with film stocks from a growing database and a processing pipeline: waiting for development, off to the lab, back from the lab, to be scanned, scanned • Keep detailed development notes — developer, dilution, time, temperature, agitation — for rolls and single sheets alike, including push/pull (N+ / N-) development • Add post-development notes and a photo of the final result to rolls, sheets and individual shots YOUR GEAR, ORGANIZED • Cameras and lenses with nicknames, formats (including custom formats you define), pinhole and bellows flags, custom shutter speeds and selectable shutter step sizes • Roll film backs and lens filters with their exposure compensation • Film holders and backs can be marked as compatible with specific cameras, and everything is searchable from a single bar LARGE FORMAT, COVERED • Keep track of your film holders with three states — unloaded, loaded and exposed — always knowing which film is inside each one • Group holders together and follow every sheet from exposure through development INSIGHTS FROM YOUR DATA • Build and save custom queries, filtering by date (fixed or rolling windows), camera, lens, film stock, format, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, focal length and notes • Visualize results with histograms — by camera, lens, film stock, shutter speed, aperture, focal length, ISO, format, rating or hour of the day — alongside aggregate stats like mean aperture and average exposure • Save the queries you use most and re-run them anytime YOUR DATA, YOURS • Everything syncs privately through iCloud across your iPhone and iPad • Export any selection of data as CSV or JSON, or as a beautifully formatted PDF with customizable columns and a contact-sheet mode, bundled with your images in a single ZIP • Batch-write shooting metadata (EXIF) onto your scans — for a whole roll at once, or by matching files from the Files app • Viewing and exporting your data is free, forever; adding and editing is unlocked with a one-time purchase or a subscription AND MORE • Full-text search, favourites and an archive to keep things tidy • Available in English, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Simplified Chinese • A roadmap of what's coming next lives right in the app — new very cool features are on the way :) If you have any suggestion or issue, write me at lightme.apps@gmail.com Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Spooli

This app helps you declutter your camera roll by resurfacing photos from past years on the current date. Swipe to keep or delete, and enjoy features like live photo playback and smart duplicate detection. It operates entirely on-device for enhanced privacy.

Highlights
  • Memory resurfacing by date
  • Swipe to keep or delete
  • Live Photo playback
  • Smart similar-photo detection
  • On-device processing
  • Calendar progress view
Read full description

Spooli turns cleaning out your camera roll into something you'll actually want to do. Instead of scrolling through your entire photo library, Spooli shows you "memories" - photos matching today's date from years past. Swipe right to keep a photo, left to mark it for deletion. Keeping is always unlimited. • Daily streaks to keep you coming back • A full-year calendar showing your progress at a glance • Live Photo playback - hold to relive the motion • Smart similar-photo detection to quickly clear out near-duplicates • Share your favorite memories straight to Messages or Mail Nothing ever leaves your phone. Spooli works entirely on-device - no accounts, no uploads, no analytics. Spooli Pro unlocks unlimited daily deletions, date browsing beyond today, and more. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Lightme4 screens
Spooli4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Lightme at 103 against Spooli's 2. Lightme also leads on device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Lightme sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Spooli sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Spooli holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightme has 103 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Lightme versus Spooli: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightmeSpooli
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (103 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings103 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGiuseppe BertoliniAriella Baum

Customer experience

Lightme

All ratings102 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

Spooli

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Lightme

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Cappuccino7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Focaccia Barese7 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • Spaghetti Carbonara7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Homemade Pizza party7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time4
  • A smile :)Free
  • Box of Prosecco$59.99
  • Fuel for my '90s camper$119.99
Show 1 more
  • Terme for two$239.99
2 purchases

Spooli

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Annual$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Lightme free?
Lightme is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Spooli free?
Spooli is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lightme or Spooli?
Spooli is rated higher. Lightme averages 4.8 out of 5 from 103 ratings, while Spooli averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Lightme or Spooli have ads?
Neither Lightme nor Spooli shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightme or Spooli?
Lightme ships an update every 2 weeks, and Spooli every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lightme was updated on October 21, 2026 and Spooli on October 21, 2026.

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