# The Photo Guide vs LightMate

The clearest difference is price: LightMate at $0.99 against The Photo Guide's $7.99. LightMate also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). The Photo Guide's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

The Photo Guide costs $7.99 and LightMate $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Photo Guide ships an update every 5 months, LightMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Photo Guide | LightMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-photo-guide/id432483555/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **23** | — |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BLUE BOX - Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/378728599) | [Qiao Hu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1076093840) |

## What reviewers say

### The Photo Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-photo-guide/id432483555)

This app offers a comprehensive guide to photography, covering everything from the basics for beginners to advanced techniques for enthusiasts. Learn about composition, equipment, and mobile photography with interactive lessons and over 1,000 example images.

**Highlights:** Beginner-friendly photography lessons, In-depth image composition guides, Equipment and gear explanations, iPhone and iPad photography tips, Practical field tips and tricks, Photography quiz and glossary, Offline content access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### LightMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmate-expocalc/id6743069293)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Photo Guide free?

The Photo Guide costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is LightMate free?

LightMate costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Photo Guide or LightMate have ads?

Neither The Photo Guide nor LightMate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Photo Guide or LightMate?

The Photo Guide ships an update every 5 months, and LightMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Photo Guide was updated on October 26, 2026 and LightMate on October 7, 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.*