Comparison

Flashlight ® vs First Mate

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

Head to head
About

Flashlight ®

This utility app provides an instant, bright light source using your device's LED flash. It offers a dimmable slider for adjustable brightness and avoids ads and distracting features found in free alternatives. It's designed as a simple, fast, and reliable tool for various lighting needs.

Highlights
  • Instant ON LED flashlight
  • Dimmable LED slider
  • No ads or push notifications
  • Fastest loading time
  • Simple and pure light function
  • Supports all iOS devices
Features
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Instant ON • NO ADS • 5 Stars on over 25,000 Ratings! 1.5 Million Sold! NO Annoying Banner Ads or Push Notifications like the free copycats. Light comes on INSTANTLY. Get the ORIGINAL, Best-Selling, Fastest Flashlight today! (UPDATE: New Dimmable LED Slider iOS6). ••• FLASHLIGHT by i4software ® ••• • www.i4flashlight.com • #1 Top Paid Utility App in U.S. #5 Top Paid App Overall in U.S. • Over 1,400,000 PAID downloads! • NO ADS like the free copycats! • No Push Notifications like the free flashlights. • No gimmicks to slow you down or distract. • FAST, pure LIGHT in an INSTANT! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• What users are saying about FLASHLIGHT • "Best flashlight app ever! 5 star!!" • "Much faster than free flashlights" • "Works as advertised. Worth the $ to get rid of the annoying ads." • "Best flashlight app available without crappy ads and unwanted features." • "Best flaslight app I've used. Awesome to see it updated for the iPhone 5. The adjustable brightness levels is great!" • "Perfect, simple app! If all you need is a flashlight and not some dumb strobe light... Look no farther!" • "This App should be the official native iPhone flashlight!" • "More than twice as fast loading as previous flashlight apps." • "No flashy gimmicky add ons, no ads, just lights up the dark. Recommended." • "Does what it says! Graphic On/Off switch is tight! A Must Have App" •"More than twice as fast loading as previous flashlight apps." ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • • • • Flashlight ® taps into the power of the NEW flash on the iPhone 4, 4S, iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5th Generation to give you an incredibly bright Flashlight that is significantly brighter than those apps that simply turn your screen white. THIS IS A REAL TOOL. NOT A TOY. No Silly Strobe you can accidentally activate, No Clap-Off that turns the light off every time there's a loud noise, No Disco Mode and NO fake virtual lightbulbs! The simplest, fastest TRUE Flashlight in the App Store that automatically turns on when you launch the application. And the only one with 5 Stars on over 22,500 Reviews! • Find Your Keys in the Dark • Read a Real Book at Night • Light the Way When Camping and Hiking • Make Yourself Visible on Roadside at Night • Light Your Room During a Power Outage • Repair Your Car or Change a Tire at Night • Entertain Friends With Shadow Puppets • Check on the Little Ones NEW Support for iPad, iPhone 3 and older iPod Touch models without camera torches. Slider turns flashlight from black to white for a bright screen light. Now you can use Flashlight ® on all of your iOS devices for one low price. Please Note: Continued use of the flash may dramatically decrease battery life. Please use Flashlight ® responsibly and keep an eye on battery consumption. :) If you love this app, please rate it in iTunes and add comments to help spread the word. • Flash Light • Torch Light • Purse Light • Night Light • Computer Light • Reading Light ...and many more uses. You've got the POWER with Flashlight ® by i4software. Did we mention NO ADS, NO PUSH NOTIFICATIONS and NO GIMMICKS like the top free flashlights? A dependable flashlight is one of the most important safety tools you can own, $0.99 is a small price to pay for peace of mind and to eliminate the flashy banner ads contained in the free flashlight apps that blind and distract in the dark.

About

First Mate

Features
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First Mate is the app every boat owner needs for a reliable and enjoyable boating excursion. First Mate is the first app using advanced Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering calculations and tow tank test data to provide you with vessel duration, range, and engine output without the need for expensive integrated management systems. This app compliments your navigation equipment and gauges to calculate the information needed to plan or update the journey in real time. Input the fuel and vessel speed; First Mate will calculate:  • Hours to empty • Distance to empty • Estimated engine RPM, fuel burn rate, brake horsepower All calculations update when user updates the app. Typically trip planning is done using rough estimates using data from the vessel manufacturer. Integrated management systems can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, require installation, and only provide basic information about engine performance and maintenance. First Mate is a robust app that accounts for drag, weight, and engine performance to accurately plan excursions and spontaneously change plans while underway. The user interface is designed to allow anyone, regardless of boating knowledge, to easily set up and use the app. Because this app covers all planing monohulls, information about the vessel must be input under the “Vessel” tab. Information about the vessel is available at the manufacturer’s website. It is very simple to use for beginner or advance users. Once the Vessel tab is filled out, print it as a backup and keep a copy in the vessel log book. The “Dashboard” tab provides the user with all the information to estimate range based on the speed, weight, and current fuel readings. Other important information is displayed on this tab includes: engine RPM, fuel burn rate, and brake horsepower (BHP). The environmental input is used to calculate the seastate and the effect it will have on the range. Departure fluid levels and weights are used to estimate the total vessels displacement. There are several reference tables on the “Tables” tab to help estimate the remaining fluid levels based on gauge readings and seastate based on Beaufort Wind Scale. The app can be updated when the engine or propeller is upgraded without the need to buy anything. If you want to know how an engine or propeller upgrade will change the performance of the vessel, the app can do the calculations for you. If you are in the market for a boat, want to build a custom boat, or modify an existing hull, use the app to estimate displacement, range, required fuel capacity, and horsepower. App Features: • User inputs the vessel and engine specifications. • During trip or for trip planning, user only inputs wind speed, fuel, and vessel speed. Update these values throughout the trip to update range and engine calculations. • User can customize or update output after making changes to vessel or propulsion system. • User can update app with new vessel specifications after buying a new boat. Only purchase the app once. • Calculations are only updated with new input from user (saves battery life). • User input is saved on device but make a printout for backup and keep in vessel log. • Take screen shots to share. • Does not have maps or speedometer. Other devices or gauges can provide this information without draining your device’s battery. Find the tutorial and more information here: https://poseidonvesselmanagement.com/first-mate Why is this app not free?? • NO in app purchases, NO subscriptions, NO ads, NO data collection, NO locked features. • Rely on word-of-mouth advertising. • Provide a high-quality product to the customer at the lowest price. Poseidon Vessel Management does NOT collect any of your information, but feel free to tell your friends about our app!

Screenshots

Flashlight ®4 screens
First Mate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Flashlight ® at $4.99 against First Mate's $19.99. Flashlight ® also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.5). First Mate's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 15 months). On ads, in-app purchases 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

Flashlight ® costs $4.99 and First Mate $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Flashlight ® ships an update every 15 months, First Mate every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Flashlight ® versus First Mate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlashlight ®First Mate
Price$4.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.8 (16K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews92.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings16K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better14.5
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeri4softwareMatthew Ricciardo

Bugs and requests

Flashlight ®

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App not working after recent update
  • Incompatible with some iPad models

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to turn off screen while keeping light on
  • Additional brightness settings
  • Customizable appearance

First Mate

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Flashlight ®

No in-app purchases

None

First Mate

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Flashlight ® free?
Flashlight ® costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is First Mate free?
First Mate costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Flashlight ® or First Mate have ads?
Neither Flashlight ® nor First Mate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Flashlight ® or First Mate?
Flashlight ® ships an update every 15 months, and First Mate every 3 weeks. Most recently, Flashlight ® was updated on October 13, 2026 and First Mate on September 26, 2026.

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