Comparison

RadioactivityCounter vs Metal Detector EMF

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

Head to head
About

RadioactivityCounter

Transform your phone into a functional radioactivity counter. Measure gamma and some beta radiation using your device's camera sensor after calibration. Useful for personal use and experimentation with radiation sources.

Highlights
  • Real radioactivity counter functionality
  • Converts phone into Geiger Müller Counter
  • Measures gamma and some beta radiation
  • Requires calibration for accuracy
  • Expert setup for precise measurements
  • Supports various iPhone and iPad models
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

RadioactivityCounter This application is a real working radioactivity counter without any extra hardware needed ! It will turn your phone into a Geiger Müller Counter to measure radioactivity after proper calibration. ** Attention after upgrading iOS to a higher iOS do the calibrate again, as camera data properties might have changed ** Disclaimer: The type of radiation picked up by the camera can be dangerous/detrimental to the user's health as well as cause damage to the device. Important note: The camera sensor can measure gamma radiation (CS137 for example) and some beta radiation (depends on the energy if the beta rays can pass through the plastic parts - for example H3 or K14 are weak sources). It cannot measure alpha rays (PO210) For AM241 though its primary a Alpha source also some gamma radiation is emitted and might be detectable for a longer measurement. Please check our homepages for examples and hints on how to measure. We did calibrations with several iPod2*, IPhone 3GS*, iPhone 4*, iPhone 4S, iPhone5, iPhone 5S iPhone 6, 6s and iPad 2, iPad 3* devices at the Helmholtz Research Centre, Munich. we used a CS137 test source from 10 µGy/h till 1 Sv/h for each of the phones we had. The values are stored for a rough start on the application (all devices differ a little bit). For precise professional measurement the devices must be adjusted to the sensor which is possible with the expert setup. For personal use the defaults should be sufficient (please give us feedback). * = Attention some phone might not be compatible due the new version of iOS or missing features (gps precision using sim cards)- please try to use an older rev of the App which should be available according to my settings (1.3).

About

Metal Detector EMF

This application uses your smartphone's magnetic sensor to detect nearby metal objects. It can help you find hidden metallic items, act as a treasure hunting tool, or even assist in ghost hunting by visualizing magnetic field trends. Requires a device with a magnetic sensor to function.

Highlights
  • Detects nearby metal
  • Measures magnetic field
  • Finds hidden metallic objects
  • Acts as a treasure hunter tool
  • Assists ghost hunters
  • Visualizes reading trends with a graph
Features
Read full description

Metal Detector EMF detects the presence of metal nearby. Metal detectors measure magnetic field value using a magnetic sensor that is built into your smartphone. Now You can easily find metallic objects that are hidden underground, behind walls etc. , or be a treasure hunter or ghost hunters, also see a reading trend through the graph. Simple app in your device called Gauss Meter are used for measuring the Earth's magnetic field but can't detect silver, gold, copper coins (non-ferrous - no magnetic field). This Magnetometer app require a magnetic sensor otherwise does not work.

Screenshots

RadioactivityCounter2 screens
Metal Detector EMF4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Metal Detector EMF at Free against RadioactivityCounter's $4.99. Metal Detector EMF also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.1) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 10). RadioactivityCounter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#184 vs unranked). On review sentiment, update cadence, 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

Metal Detector EMF is free to download; RadioactivityCounter costs $4.99 up front. Metal Detector EMF sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RadioactivityCounter asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Metal Detector EMF holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Metal Detector EMF has 2.5K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 68% and 68% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RadioactivityCounter ships an update every 15 months, Metal Detector EMF every 9 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
RadioactivityCounter versus Metal Detector EMF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRadioactivityCounterMetal Detector EMF
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating3.1 (10 ratings)4.6 (2.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.4% of reviews68.4% of reviews
Number of ratings102.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsEvery 9 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#184 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDipl.-Ing. Rolf-Dieter KleinExaMobile S.A.

Customer experience

RadioactivityCounter

All ratings10 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive68.4%
Neutral5.3%
Negative26.3%

Metal Detector EMF

All ratings2,390 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.3%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews475 reviews
Positive68.4%
Neutral5.3%
Negative26.3%

Bugs and requests

RadioactivityCounter

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Metal Detector EMF

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Settings page not functioning
  • App crashes on some devices
  • Inaccurate readings in certain situations

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to detect non-magnetic metals
  • Improved sensitivity and detection range
  • Option to calibrate the sensor
  • Metal identification feature

In-app purchases

None

RadioactivityCounter

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Metal Detector EMF

One-time1
  • AdBlock - Remove ads$1.99

Questions

Is RadioactivityCounter free?
RadioactivityCounter costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Metal Detector EMF free?
Metal Detector EMF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RadioactivityCounter or Metal Detector EMF?
Metal Detector EMF is rated higher. RadioactivityCounter averages 3.1 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Metal Detector EMF averages 4.6 from 2.5K ratings.
Do RadioactivityCounter or Metal Detector EMF have ads?
Neither RadioactivityCounter nor Metal Detector EMF shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RadioactivityCounter or Metal Detector EMF?
RadioactivityCounter ships an update every 15 months, and Metal Detector EMF every 9 months. Most recently, RadioactivityCounter was updated on November 6, 2026 and Metal Detector EMF on November 6, 2026.

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