# Reciprocity Timer vs Light Meter Ultra

The clearest difference is price: Light Meter Ultra at Free against Reciprocity Timer's $1.99. Light Meter Ultra also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). Reciprocity Timer's advantage is chart position (#130 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Light Meter Ultra is free to download; Reciprocity Timer costs $1.99 up front. Reciprocity Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Light Meter Ultra sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Light Meter Ultra holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Light Meter Ultra has 738 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Reciprocity Timer's written reviews are positive against 37% of Light Meter Ultra's.

Reciprocity Timer ships an update every 2 months, Light Meter Ultra every 8 days. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reciprocity Timer | Light Meter Ultra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reciprocity-timer/id459691262/reviews) | **[4.7 (738 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-ultra/id1558108173/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **738** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **37.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#130** | — |
| Size | 28 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pump Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/459691265) | [Ultrafine](https://appshunter.io/developer/1558108175) |

## What reviewers say

### Reciprocity Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reciprocity-timer/id459691262)

**Currently charting:** #130 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app helps film photographers calculate exposure compensation for reciprocity failure. It offers a standard version for basic calculations and a pro version with advanced features like note-taking and custom film databases. It also includes an exposure timer and filter compensation tools.

**Highlights:** Reciprocity compensation calculations, Exposure timer, Filter compensation slider, Note-keeping feature, Custom film and camera databases, Film stock favorites

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reciprocity Timer Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


### Light Meter Ultra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-ultra/id1558108173)

This app provides precise light metering for film photography, eliminating the need for external hardware. It offers various metering modes and customizable profiles to ensure perfect exposures for manual cameras. Advanced features like reciprocity failure correction are available with a PRO plan.

**Highlights:** Aperture Priority Metering, Shutter Priority Metering, Exposure Priority Metering, Customizable ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, Exposure Compensation, Reciprocity Failure Correction, Custom Camera Profiles

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Light Meter | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Light Meter | $11.99 | per month |
| Light Meter | $39.99 | per year |
| Light Meter | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and fast metering
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 💡 Customizable settings (aperture, shutter, ISO)
- 🔍 Useful for analog/film photography

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🐛 Unreliable performance in low-light conditions
- 📱 Requires internet connection for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Camera integration issues causing failed exposures
- Inconsistent metering results compared to standalone meters

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for remote shooting
- Wider aperture and shutter speed range
- Support for more camera/film types
- Customizable exposure bias/compensation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reciprocity Timer free?

Reciprocity Timer costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Light Meter Ultra free?

Light Meter Ultra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Reciprocity Timer or Light Meter Ultra?

Light Meter Ultra is rated higher. Reciprocity Timer averages 2.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Light Meter Ultra averages 4.7 from 738 ratings.

### Do Reciprocity Timer or Light Meter Ultra have ads?

Neither Reciprocity Timer nor Light Meter Ultra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reciprocity Timer or Light Meter Ultra?

Reciprocity Timer ships an update every 2 months, and Light Meter Ultra every 8 days. Most recently, Reciprocity Timer was updated on September 25, 2026 and Light Meter Ultra on September 25, 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.*