Comparison

Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier vs HiviewHD Plus

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

Head to head
About

Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier

This app transforms your device into a powerful magnifying glass and zoomable camera. Easily read small print, inspect details, or view objects up close with infinite zoom, image filters, and a built-in flashlight. It's designed for clarity and ease of use in any lighting condition.

Highlights
  • Infinite digital zoom
  • Zoomable camera functionality
  • Freeze live view
  • Built-in flashlight with adjustable brightness
  • Multiple image filters
  • Manual focus and exposure controls
Features
Read full description

The original and still the best. ***************************************************** The New York Times – Gadgetwise: App of the Week “Of the several magnification apps I tried, my favorite is Magnifying Glass from I-Beam. The iPhone app is simplicity itself. Turn it on, point the camera at the fine print, and touch the plus button until it is enlarged enough to read. Two other built-in features I like: the button that instantly resets the image to low magnification, and the camera button, which lets you take a photo of your close-up.” — Roy Furchgott, The New York Times ***************************************************** Magnifying Glass helps you see more clearly on your iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re reading small text, examining fine details, or viewing objects up close, Magnifying Glass provides powerful visual tools that are easy to use and fully under your control. With infinite zoom, the ability to freeze, rotate, filter, and enhance the live view, and manual control over focus and exposure, you can adjust the image exactly how you need it. A built-in flashlight with adjustable brightness helps illuminate hard-to-see areas, making it easier to read and inspect in low-light situations. Magnifying Glass also works as a fully functional zoom camera, making it useful at home, at work, or on the go. Try it today and see why it was named App of the Week by The New York Times. Features: - Infinite digital zoom to make small text easier to read - Fully functional zoomable camera - Freeze the view to inspect images without motion - Built-in flashlight with adjustable brightness - Multiple image filters, including a special high-contrast mode - High-contrast enhancement to reveal details in low light - Stabilization mode for crisp, sharp images - Manual focus and exposure controls - Support for front and rear cameras - Multiple interface themes to personalize your experience

About

HiviewHD Plus

Features
Read full description

Key features of HiviewHD Plus: Remote view for 24 hours in Mobile APP Friendly user interface, can be viewed and operated on mobile devices. Supports adding multiple cameras in minutes, making management easy. Watch multiple channels at the same time on mobile devices. Access the live broadcast remotely via the Internet anytime, anywhere. Convenient local access to view captured images and recorded videos. Remotely control PTZ cameras on your mobile device. High quality two-way audio

Screenshots

Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier4 screens
HiviewHD Plus3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HiviewHD Plus at none against Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier's 3. HiviewHD Plus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price 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. Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. HiviewHD Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier ships an update monthly, HiviewHD Plus every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier versus HiviewHD Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagnifying Glass +++ MagnifierHiviewHD Plus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (6.6K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6.6K — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperI-BeamChatchavan Jaichobchusakun

Bugs and requests

Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Rapid button tapping causes lockups
  • Rotate function gets stuck spinning
  • Simultaneous button presses lead to crashes
  • Freeze mode doesn't save images properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add pinch-to-zoom functionality
  • Improve image stabilization
  • Provide more manual control options
  • Allow loading and editing of saved photos
  • Integrate with other apps (e.g. iNaturalist)

HiviewHD Plus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier

One-time3
  • Themes$0.99
  • Filters$0.99
  • Premium Upgrade$2.99
None

HiviewHD Plus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier free?
Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HiviewHD Plus free?
HiviewHD Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier or HiviewHD Plus have ads?
Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier shows ads; HiviewHD Plus does not.
Which is updated more often, Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier or HiviewHD Plus?
Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier ships an update monthly, and HiviewHD Plus every 3 months. Most recently, Magnifying Glass +++ Magnifier was updated on November 6, 2026 and HiviewHD Plus on November 4, 2026.

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