# SmartThermal vs Thermal Camera

The clearest difference is rating: SmartThermal at 5.0 against Thermal Camera's 4.3. SmartThermal also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). Thermal Camera's advantage is ratings volume (400 vs 1) and review sentiment (30% vs 8%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Thermal Camera sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. SmartThermal asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartThermal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thermal Camera has 400 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 8% of SmartThermal's written reviews are positive against 30% of Thermal Camera's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SmartThermal ships an update every 6 weeks, Thermal Camera every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 7, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThermal | Thermal Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthermal/id1563868514/reviews)** | [4.3 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermal-camera-night-vision/id6450264889/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **400** |
| Positive reviews | 7.7% of reviews | **30.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 55 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hangzhou Qingkong Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1563857297) | [Saken Erzhanev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692552059) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThermal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthermal/id1563868514)

Connect your mobile device to observation devices for real-time viewing and recording. Control your observation equipment directly from your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Connect to ThermEyeTec observation devices, Use smartphone as mobile viewfinder, Record video and images, Full smartphone control of observation devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thermal Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermal-camera-night-vision/id6450264889)

Transform ordinary videos into extraordinary visual experiences with a variety of unique effects like thermal, night vision, and x-ray. Record new footage or import existing videos, preview effects in real-time, and easily save or share your creations.

**Highlights:** Capture or import videos, Thermal, night vision, x-ray effects, Psychedelic video filters, Real-time effect preview, Save and share creations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thermal Cam Premium Week Promo | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Thermal Camera Premium Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Thermal Camera Premium Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Thermal Camera Premium Annual | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Users love the app's core functionality when it works
- 💾 Ability to save thermal images to phone
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🎨 Visually appealing thermal effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive paywall and subscription model
- 🚫 Limited free version functionality
- ❌ App doesn't work as advertised thermal camera
- 🔍 Detects light, not actual heat/temperature
- 😤 Misleading free-to-play presentation

**Reported bugs**

- Thermal video upload fails
- App doesn't detect heat from hands/objects
- Only applies visual filters instead of thermal detection
- Crashes or freezes on certain iPhone models (12 mini reported)
- Misleading 'Get' button that leads to paywall instead of free access

**Requested features**

- Functional free trial or demo mode before requiring payment
- Clear pricing disclosure before download
- Actual thermal imaging capability, not just filters
- Better documentation on how to use limited free features
- Real temperature detection functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartThermal free?

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

### Is Thermal Camera free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartThermal or Thermal Camera?

SmartThermal is rated higher. SmartThermal averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Thermal Camera averages 4.3 from 400 ratings.

### Do SmartThermal or Thermal Camera have ads?

Neither SmartThermal nor Thermal Camera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartThermal or Thermal Camera?

SmartThermal ships an update every 6 weeks, and Thermal Camera every 2 months. Most recently, SmartThermal was updated on June 7, 2026 and Thermal Camera on September 18, 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.*