# Pocket Light Meter vs CardSync

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CardSync at none against Pocket Light Meter's 3. CardSync also leads on price ($2.99 vs $9.99). Pocket Light Meter's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Pocket Light Meter costs $9.99 and CardSync $2.99 up front. Pocket Light Meter sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. CardSync asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pocket Light Meter ships an update fortnightly, CardSync every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Light Meter | CardSync |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-light-meter/id381698089/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#73** | #177 |
| Size | 34 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nuwaste studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/338524950) | [Laurent Meurisse](https://appshunter.io/developer/6805449623) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Light Meter

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

**Currently charting:** #73 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.)


### CardSync

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardsync-verified-copy/id6805449620)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

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

**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 CardSync free?

CardSync costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Pocket Light Meter or CardSync have ads?

Neither Pocket Light Meter nor CardSync shows ads.

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

Pocket Light Meter ships an update fortnightly, and CardSync every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pocket Light Meter was updated on October 23, 2026 and CardSync on October 7, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Pocket Light Meter or CardSync?

Pocket Light Meter currently peaks at #73 in the App Store charts, and CardSync at #177. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*