# Pocket Light Meter vs Histograms Explained

The clearest difference is rating: Pocket Light Meter at 4.5 against Histograms Explained's 3.3. Pocket Light Meter also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 50%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 40 months). Histograms Explained's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Pocket Light Meter costs $9.99 and Histograms Explained $4.99 up front. Pocket Light Meter sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Histograms Explained asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pocket Light Meter holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Light Meter has 1K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Pocket Light Meter's written reviews are positive against 50% of Histograms Explained's.

Pocket Light Meter ships an update fortnightly, Histograms Explained every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Light Meter | Histograms Explained |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-light-meter/id381698089/reviews)** | [3.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/histograms-explained/id583587749/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **87.1% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 40 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#64** | — |
| Size | 34 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nuwaste studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/338524950) | [Newmediasoup, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/487946963) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-light-meter/id381698089)

**Currently charting:** #64 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app functions as a portable light meter, essential for film photographers using manual cameras. It accurately measures reflected light and provides reciprocity calculations for precise exposure control.

**Highlights:** Portable light meter, Reflected light measurement, Reciprocity calculations, Indispensable for film photography, Manual camera compatible

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ads remover | $1.99 | one-time |
| pint for the developer and get rid of the ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| donation to the developer | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate light metering
- 📷 Useful for film photography
- 🔍 Spot metering feature
- 🔧 Customizable settings
- 🔋 Always available on phone

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Freezes or crashes in low light or with recent iOS updates
- 🔍 Unclear if spot or average metering
- 📊 Outdated user interface design
- 🔌 Ads can be distracting

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes with recent iOS updates
- Inconsistent metering in low light conditions
- Issues with saving metering data to photos

**Requested features**

- Add histogram display
- Implement manual mode to lock aperture/shutter
- Support for flash metering
- Improve low-light performance
- Provide more metering mode options (spot, center-weighted, etc.)


### Histograms Explained

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/histograms-explained/id583587749)

Learn to interpret your camera's histogram for better photography, both underwater and topside. This app de-mystifies histograms with narrated lessons, real-world examples, and quizzes from experienced professionals.

**Highlights:** De-mystifies camera histograms, Narrated training material, Real-world photo examples, Chapter quizzes, Tips from professional photographers, Covers luminance and RGB histograms

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Light Meter free?

Pocket Light Meter costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Histograms Explained free?

Histograms Explained costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Light Meter or Histograms Explained?

Pocket Light Meter is rated higher. Pocket Light Meter averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Histograms Explained averages 3.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Pocket Light Meter or Histograms Explained have ads?

Neither Pocket Light Meter nor Histograms Explained shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Light Meter or Histograms Explained?

Pocket Light Meter ships an update fortnightly, and Histograms Explained every 40 months. Most recently, Pocket Light Meter was updated on October 12, 2026 and Histograms Explained on September 30, 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.*