# Light Meter vs PPFD METER

The clearest difference is ads: Light Meter at none against PPFD METER's shown. Light Meter also leads on iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). PPFD METER's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 10 months) and review sentiment (53% vs 33%). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light Meter sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and PPFD METER sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Light Meter against 4.6 for PPFD METER. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 116 and 118 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Light Meter's written reviews are positive against 53% of PPFD METER's.

Light Meter ships an update every 10 months, PPFD METER every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light Meter | PPFD METER |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-lux-525-pro/id1636117065/reviews) | **[4.6 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ppfd-meter-grow-light-meter/id6479329051/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 116 | **118** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **52.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrey Ivankin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615973131) | [Candas Pamukcu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735587895) |

## What reviewers say

### Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-lux-525-pro/id1636117065)

This app functions as a precise and user-friendly light meter using your phone's built-in sensors. It measures illuminance, color temperature, PPFD/PAR, DLI, and luminous flux in real-time. It also includes a calculator for various illumination parameters and allows sharing or saving of measurements.

**Highlights:** Real-time illuminance measurement, Color temperature measurement, PPFD/PAR and DLI calculation, Built-in illumination calculator, Share and save measurements, No additional equipment needed

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Lifetime Subscription | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium Lifetime Subscription | $29.99 | one-time |


### PPFD METER

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ppfd-meter-grow-light-meter/id6479329051)

This app measures light intensity for plants, converting LUX to PPFD and DLI. It offers advanced light mapping, uniformity analysis, and efficiency insights to optimize plant growth. Customize profiles for different environments and growth stages.

**Highlights:** LUX, PPFD, DLI, and PAR measurements, Light mapping and distribution analysis, Uniformity and PPF evaluation, Energy efficiency and consumption tracking, Customizable setting profiles, Bluetooth sensor integration

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Light Meter free?

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

### Is PPFD METER free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Light Meter or PPFD METER?

PPFD METER is rated higher. Light Meter averages 4.5 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while PPFD METER averages 4.6 from 118 ratings.

### Do Light Meter or PPFD METER have ads?

PPFD METER shows ads; Light Meter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Light Meter or PPFD METER?

Light Meter ships an update every 10 months, and PPFD METER every 3 weeks. Most recently, Light Meter was updated on September 12, 2026 and PPFD METER on September 22, 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.*