Comparison

Light Meter LM vs HPLC Advisor

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

Head to head
About

Light Meter LM

Transform your smartphone into a professional light meter. Measure illuminance and color temperature with scientifically validated accuracy, trusted by professionals. Requires a simple diffuser for precise readings.

Highlights
  • Measure illuminance (lux/foot-candle)
  • Measure color temperature (Kelvin)
  • Industry-leading accuracy
  • Pre-calibrated for your device
  • Low light sensitivity
  • Save peak reading
  • Custom calibration option
Read full description

Turn your smartphone into a professional-grade light meter. Measure illuminance (lux/foot-candle) and color temperature (CCT in Kelvin) with unmatched accuracy — trusted by photographers, engineers, and lighting professionals worldwide. Why waste money on a hardware meter when you’re already carrying one in your pocket? The LM-3000 offers the same quality and usability as a traditional hardware light meter. Developed by optics scientists at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, LM-3000 is the only light meter app scientifically validated for accuracy. It achieves professional-grade precision by leveraging your iPhone's front-facing camera sensor with advanced RAW image processing. Unlike relying on estimates like other apps, it adheres to the ISO/CIE 19476 standard, ensuring measurements you can trust for critical applications. MEASUREMENTS ⎷ Illuminance in lux or foot-candles ⎷ Correlated color temperature in kelvin FEATURES ⎷ Industry-leading accuracy, matching professional high-end lux meters ⎷ Pre-calibrated for your specific device ⎷ Excellent low light sensitivity to detect light pollution ⎷ No ads ⎷ No Bluetooth and location permission required ⎷ In-app manual ⎷ Save peak reading ⎷ HOLD function with acoustic signal ⎷ Custom calibration option to align readings to another meter DIFFUSER REQUIRED Like every real light meter, the LM-3000 requires a diffuser to measure accurately. A diffuser scatters incoming light evenly on the sensor and prevents hotspots. While it may sound complex, the solution is surprisingly easy. You have two options: 1) Easily build a diffuser yourself in less than a minute using standard printer paper. This is accurate enough for most use cases. 2) Get the dedicated Diffuser Accessory (free worldwide shipping) for best accuracy and convenience. More details on https://lightray.io/diffuser/ (!) Avoid apps that don’t require a diffuser! They are inaccurate because they ignore the basic physics of light measurement. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY The LM-3000 is free to download and comes with a free trial period. The trial period lasts for two non-consecutive days, giving you enough time to see if the app fits your needs. The status of your free trial will be shown as the "battery level" on the top right of the LM-3000's display and on the "Battery Status" screen. Once your light meter's "battery" is depleted, you may choose a Charging Option to keep using the app. You can pick what works best for you: → Single Charge — top-up for another 48 hours (perfect for occasional use), → Continuous Charging — a monthly subscription (great if you use it regularly), → Unlimited Battery — a one-time purchase for unlimited lifetime access LM-3000 is the result of over five years of dedicated research and development, ensuring you get a tool that is precise and reliable. Every in-app purchase supports future development and helps keep the app ad-free for everyone. As a member of 1% for the Planet, we donate at least one percent of all revenue to environmental non-profits — this is our way of giving back. ACCURACY Accuracy is not an afterthought — Apps developed by Lightray Innovation are developed according to the ISO/CIE 19476 standard. Thanks to RAW image processing and a default calibration per device model they’re able to match the performance of high quality traditional hardware light meters. To ensure quality we rigorously test our apps regularly on upcoming devices. DOWNLOAD FOR FREE. TRUSTED BY MILLIONS. LM-3000 is the go-to light meter for photographers, professionals, engineers, and lighting enthusiasts who rely on accurate measurements — not estimates or guesswork. Download for free today and experience the difference! See the app in action: https://youtu.be/EJW7NfE2qCk Terms and Conditions: https://lightray.io/lightmeter/terms/

About

HPLC Advisor

This app provides tools for HPLC troubleshooting, method development, and data management. It offers calculators for method translation and performance prediction, a data library with conversions and formulas, and troubleshooting guides. Works offline for all HPLC instruments.

Highlights
  • HPLC troubleshooting guides
  • Method translation calculator
  • Chromatographic performance calculator
  • LC-related data library
  • Offline functionality
  • Universal instrument compatibility
Features
Read full description

The Agilent InfinityLab HPLC Advisor app offers tools to save you time with HPLC troubleshooting, method development, and more. Once installed, it works also offline—no matter if you are next to or away from the instrument. Moreover, these tools work for all HPLC instruments, regardless of brand and model. Troubleshooting Typical HPLC problems are summarized and organized in groups—so you can quickly define the issue in a couple clicks. For each problem, you can choose to view all potential issues for tips or get guided step-by-step help to troubleshoot your issue. This flexible app offers two ways to help users solve their HPLC problems. Calculators Method translation This calculator helps you translate your legacy methods to new columns and systems. Simply enter the information from your legacy method (column, system, experimental conditions, and gradient) along with the new column and system that you are going to use. Then, the calculator determines the experimental conditions and the gradient of your new translated method. For all fields in these calculators, you can either use default values or values that are specific to your method, column, and system. All results can be saved as a PDF. Chromatographic performance This calculator helps you predict how a chromatographic method will perform. Fill in parameters such as column geometry, system dwell volume, mobile phase, experimental conditions, etc. Then, this app will calculate the expected chromatographic performance (e.g., gradient slope, number of plates, peak capacity, backpressure, optimal flow rate). For all fields in these calculators, you can either use default values or values that are specific to your method, column, and system. All results can be saved as a PDF. Data Library Conversions This section shows you LC-related information, such as the conversion factors between different units, details of selected physical constants, powers of ten, and concentration values. Formulas This section lists LC-related formulas. The search function helps you find formulas easily and quickly. All formulas, as well as all related parameters, are listed and linked to other related formulas if applicable. Learn More This section contains select Agilent webpages for you to get more HPLC-related information.

Screenshots

Light Meter LM4 screens
HPLC Advisor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Light Meter LM at 4.5 against HPLC Advisor's 4.0. Light Meter LM also leads on ratings volume (2.6K vs 2). HPLC Advisor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (50% vs 40%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Light Meter LM sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. HPLC Advisor asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Light Meter LM holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Light Meter LM has 2.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Light Meter LM's written reviews are positive against 50% of HPLC Advisor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Light Meter LM ships an update monthly, HPLC Advisor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Light Meter LM versus HPLC Advisor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLight Meter LMHPLC Advisor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2.6K ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews40.4% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.6K — better2
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLightray Innovation GmbHAgilent Technologies, Inc

Customer experience

Light Meter LM

All ratings2,595 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral3.7%
Negative8.4%
Written reviews208 reviews
Positive40.4%
Neutral6.3%
Negative53.4%

HPLC Advisor

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Light Meter LM

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Diffuser not recognized even when used
  • App locks up/crashes
  • Constant diffuser pop-up interruptions

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to use rear camera
  • More flexible diffuser options
  • Improved accuracy without diffuser

HPLC Advisor

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Light Meter LM

Subscriptions1
  • Continuous Charging$3.491 Month
One-time2
  • Single Charge$0.99
  • Unlimited Battery$19.99
None

HPLC Advisor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Light Meter LM free?
Light Meter LM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HPLC Advisor free?
HPLC Advisor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Light Meter LM or HPLC Advisor?
Light Meter LM is rated higher. Light Meter LM averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while HPLC Advisor averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Light Meter LM or HPLC Advisor have ads?
Neither Light Meter LM nor HPLC Advisor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Light Meter LM or HPLC Advisor?
Light Meter LM ships an update monthly, and HPLC Advisor every 2 months. Most recently, Light Meter LM was updated on November 11, 2026 and HPLC Advisor on November 3, 2026.

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