Comparison

iLlumination US vs High Notes Journal

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

Head to head
About

iLlumination US

This universal flashlight app transforms your device into a powerful illumination tool. It offers LED and screen-based lighting, adjustable brightness, strobe effects, and Morse code functionality. Customize your light with color and contrast options for various needs.

Highlights
  • LED and screen flashlight
  • Adjustable strobe modes
  • Morse code functionality
  • Color picker for screen light
  • Adjustable screen contrast
  • Screen lock feature
Features
Read full description

iLlumination US — The Classic Flashlight, Reborn The flashlight app thousands relied on is back — rebuilt from the ground up for modern iPhone. Same simple idea, a completely new design, and every feature refined for today's devices. Why fumble in the dark? iLlumination turns your iPhone's LED flash — or its screen — into a fast, reliable light, with proper controls for the moments you actually need them. Lighting modes • Flashlight — instant, ultra-bright steady light. • Tap mode — press and hold to shine, release to stop. The fastest way to signal. • Strobe — rhythmic flashing with selectable speeds, from slow to ultra-fast. • Morse code — type any message and flash it with correctly timed pulses, with a built-in SOS and loop. Choose your light source Use the LED flash, the Screen, or Dual (both at once) in any mode — pick a default in Settings. Built for control • Brightness — fine-tune the LED level and screen brightness with a slider, or swipe on the screen light to dim it on the fly. • Color picker — eight screen-light colors (white, warm, amber, red, green, blue, violet, pink). Remembers your last choice. • Screen lock — dim the screen and lock it so a stray tap never kills your light. Double-tap to unlock. • Auto-on — switch the light on the instant the app launches. • Dark, Light & Auto appearance. Strobe lighting can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Please use with care. Note: Sustained use of the LED flash will drain your battery faster. I'm always improving iLlumination and I genuinely read every message. For bug reports, feature ideas, or to help translate the app into your language, email me: iphone@erikstorli.net.

About

High Notes Journal

Features
Read full description

High Notes is voice-first journaling for capturing ideas before they fade. Hit record and speak your mind. Every note is automatically transcribed, summarized with a TL;DR, and tagged so you can find it later without scrolling through walls of text. Perfect for brainstorms, shower thoughts, late-night ideas, and everything in between. Features: • One-tap voice recording • AI-powered transcription and summaries • Auto-tagging and smart organization • Private and secure - your notes are yours Don't miss a flash of brilliance

Screenshots

iLlumination US3 screens
High Notes Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: High Notes Journal at every 2 weeks against iLlumination US's every 2 months. High Notes Journal also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iLlumination US ships an update every 2 months, High Notes Journal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
iLlumination US versus High Notes Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriLlumination USHigh Notes Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (43 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews52.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings43 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
Ads—No
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErik StorliTanya Coller

Bugs and requests

iLlumination US

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App crashes when opened after update
  • Light turns off automatically after a short period
  • App does not open after update
  • Light goes off when the phone is locked
  • Tap mode and other options disappeared after update
Show 4 more
  • Ads appear every few seconds
  • Full screen ads appear
  • Loud video ads pop up
  • Image stuck on phone background after closing app

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add more features like programmable strobes
  • Fix compatibility with older iOS versions
  • Make the time between ads longer
  • Allow the light to stay on when the screen is locked or the home button is pressed
  • Add a dark mode option
Show 4 more
  • Improve brightness of screen light
  • Allow users to set a default light choice
  • Add a feature to turn off the screen but keep the light on
  • Allow users to set a preferred time for the light to turn off

High Notes Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

iLlumination US

No in-app purchases

None

High Notes Journal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iLlumination US free?
iLlumination US is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is High Notes Journal free?
High Notes Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which is updated more often, iLlumination US or High Notes Journal?
iLlumination US ships an update every 2 months, and High Notes Journal every 2 weeks. Most recently, iLlumination US was updated on November 1, 2026 and High Notes Journal on October 31, 2026.

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