Comparison

Light Detector vs MBraille

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

Head to head
About

Light Detector

This utility app converts light intensity into sound, allowing users to perceive their surroundings through audio cues. Point your device's camera at any light source to hear variations in pitch based on brightness. It's designed to assist users, particularly those who are blind, in navigating and understanding their environment.

Highlights
  • Converts light to sound
  • Adjusts sound pitch by light intensity
  • Assists visually impaired users
  • Easy to use camera interface
  • Portable environmental awareness tool
Features
Read full description

Have you ever listened to light? With Light Detector, now you can! Light Detector transforms any natural or artificial light source it encounters into sound. Light Detector is easy to use! Just run the application and point your iPhone camera in any direction. You will hear a higher or lower sound depending on the intensity of the light. If you are blind, Light Detector helps you to be more independent in many daily activities. At home, point your iPhone towards the ceiling to understand where the light fixtures are and whether they are switched on. In a room, move the device along the wall to check if there is a window and where it is. You can find out whether the shades are drawn by moving the device up and down. Bring Light Detector with you to discover what is around you at the speed of light.

About

MBraille

This app provides a mobile braille keyboard for typing, editing, and sending messages. It offers extensive braille support for various languages and allows interaction with other applications, making mobile devices more accessible.

Highlights
  • Mobile braille keyboard
  • Type, edit, and send messages
  • Support for contracted and uncontracted braille
  • Call contacts and send emails
  • Facebook status updates and calendar entries
  • Internet search queries
  • Third-party application interaction
Features
Read full description

MBraille: Braille-First Notetaker for iPhone and iPad MBraille turns your iPhone or iPad into a braille-first workspace for writing, editing, and everyday tasks. More than a keyboard, it combines fast touchscreen braille entry with navigation, editing, commands, and file tools for users who want an efficient eyes-free workflow. Write with a customizable 6-dot layout, hear immediate speech feedback, and control the app with short gestures. MBraille supports both contracted and uncontracted braille in many languages, so you can work the way you already know. Key features: - Fast touchscreen braille input with customizable dot positions - Designed for VoiceOver and supports self-voicing when VoiceOver is off - Rich editing with cursor movement, read-back, selection, copy, cut, paste, undo, erase, and search - Notes, saved files, bookmarks, command history, and quick navigation - Command mode for messages, phone calls, email, calendar events, web search, opening apps, file management, and help - On-device voice dictation - Aliases and gesture bindings for repeated phrases and frequent commands - Cloud sync for MBraille files with Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive - One-handed mode and external keyboard support - Speech feedback by character, word, sentence, and more MBraille is built for real daily use: taking notes, writing messages, managing files, launching actions, and staying in braille from start to finish. If you want a braille-first notetaker and Swiss army knife for iPhone or iPad, MBraille gives you speed, control, and flexibility in one app. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Light Detector2 screens
MBraille1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Light Detector at none against MBraille's 5. Light Detector also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.6). MBraille's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 12 months). On price, ads 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. MBraille sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Light Detector asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Light Detector ships an update every 12 months, MBraille every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Light Detector versus MBraille: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLight DetectorMBraille
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews81.6% of reviews — better70.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS7.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB123 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRetina Italia OnlusMPaja

Customer experience

Light Detector

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive81.6%
Neutral13.2%
Negative5.3%

MBraille

Written reviews60 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral3.3%
Negative26.7%

Bugs and requests

Light Detector

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

MBraille

Reported bugs

25 issues
  • Subscription prompt for full version owners after update
  • App not working smoothly since iOS 26 update
  • Restore purchase not finding previous full version purchases
  • Multiple exclamation marks problem
  • Third-party MBraille Keyboard from within apps not working
Show 20 more
  • App no longer speaks after iOS 13.1 update
  • Typing not recognized correctly
  • Help function links not working
  • Cannot use delete whole word gesture
  • Standard virtual keyboard impossible to find in other apps
  • Three finger swipe gesture inconsistent
  • Clipboard functions hit and miss
  • Self-voicing mode has erratic touch behavior
  • App doesn't always recognize all fingers on screen
  • Fixed position of dots requires finger adjustment
  • Cannot correctly translate inputted braille to print
  • Does not use iOS braille tables
  • Clipboard is very difficult to clear
  • Feature that sends text directly from mBraille is inconsistent
  • Erratic touch behavior with VoiceOver on iOS 7
  • App not working at all
  • Black screen with white dots along the edge, no response
  • Not working for some users
  • Cannot use 6 dots to write 'for'
  • Accidental tapping on banner when notification comes through

Requested features

14 requests
  • Bring back working third-party MBraille Keyboard from within apps
  • Fix multiple exclamation marks problem
  • Lower the full price to about five dollars at the maximum
  • Fix beeps to clicks for key presses
  • Add sound similar to brailler embossing head for blank line command
Show 9 more
  • Add a gesture to send messages
  • Improve iPad support
  • Expand to a fully integrated notetaker
  • Implement braille properly on iPhone (developer suggestion)
  • Add switchable keyboard orientations to iPad version
  • Improve clipboard clearing functionality
  • Implement more braille contractions
  • Fix issues with pasting text to other apps
  • Make the feature that sends text directly from mBraille consistent

In-app purchases

None

Light Detector

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

MBraille

Subscriptions2
  • MBraille Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • MBraille Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time3
  • MBraille Keyboard$9.99
  • MBraille Documents and Keyboard$14.99
  • MBraille Full Version$39.99

Questions

Is Light Detector free?
Light Detector is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MBraille free?
MBraille is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Light Detector or MBraille have ads?
Neither Light Detector nor MBraille shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Light Detector or MBraille?
Light Detector ships an update every 12 months, and MBraille every 3 weeks. Most recently, Light Detector was updated on October 17, 2026 and MBraille on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons