Comparison

iLightningCam 2 Lite vs Light Stack Camera

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

Head to head
About

iLightningCam 2 Lite

Capture stunning lightning strike photos in real-time with your iPhone or iPad. This app automatically detects and photographs lightning, offering both automatic and manual ISO controls for expert users. Enjoy a user-friendly interface and advanced detection capabilities.

Highlights
  • Real-time lightning detection
  • Automatic day/night mode switching
  • Manual ISO adjustment for experts
  • Double-shot and blend image options
  • High-quality image capture (low quality in Lite version)
  • Modern design
Features
Read full description

iLightningCam 2 - The Second Generation - Real-time lightning photography with iPhone made easy. It enables everyone to take spectacular pictures of real lighting strikes with an iPhone or iPad! This is the free Lite version of iLightningCam 2! It offers all features of the full app, but pictures can only be saved with low quality (640x480 - 0,3 MP). For full resolution please buy our complete new iLightningCam 2! After three years of development, iLightningCam 2 follows the unique iLightningCam, which was the only app with ISO control since 2012 with more than 160 000 users. iLightningCam 2 features: - Full AUTO Mode! No user input needed! The app changes automatically between day and night mode Continuous calculation of best ISO settings based on the last strikes - Original Photo Resolution, no tricks, no interpolation! - Much better detection! - Double-shot , + one image as blend of first and second shot! - New modern design! - For experts: ISO ranges are fully manually adjustable, if wished! iLightningCam 2 uses true real-time recognition of lightning strikes. Once recognized, your iPhone takes a picture of the recognized lightning in up to 8MP. And yes - your iPhone or iPad is fast enough! You only need a good view on a real thunderstorm. The app works free hand. Just point your iPhone towards the scene/part of the sky/thunderstorm where you expect the next lightning, start the iLightningCam 2 and wait, the app will automatically press the trigger if a lightning is detected in your view. Warning: Lightning storms are life threatening for you and your phone!!! Take care using this app! Do not take any risks and avoid exposure to thunderstorms! Use this app only in lightning and storm protected places. You are solely responsible for your actions and adverse consequences. Read full safety warning in the instructions page, before using this app. Who is it not for: It is not for children and it is not for mentally handicapped persons, as they may have not the ability to protect themselves against lightning or the associated storm.

About

Light Stack Camera

Capture incredibly sharp long exposure photos without a tripod. Advanced AI stabilization allows for handheld shots up to 30 seconds, providing natural-looking results. Unique features like true-to-motion preview and customizable failure responses ensure control and prevent ruined shots.

Highlights
  • AI-stabilized long exposures
  • Handheld shooting up to 30 seconds
  • True-to-motion live preview
  • Customizable failure response options
  • Full-resolution image pipeline
Features
Read full description

Capture sharp long exposures — no tripod required. With advanced AI stabilization, Light Stack lets you shoot handheld for up to 30 seconds — with consistently sharp, natural-looking results. To help you stay steady and in control, Light Stack offers some unique features: • True-to-Motion Preview: The live preview moves naturally with your hands, giving you intuitive feedback that helps you stay steady. No more fighting to keep a crosshair centered. • Failure Response: If motion tracking is lost, you choose what happens: temporarily pause the exposure, end it cleanly, or keep going without stabilization. No surprises, and no ruined shots when things don’t go as planned. • Full-Resolution Pipeline: Light Stack maintains full resolution from capture to final image. No cropping, and no upscaling to cover it up. Try it free and experience the convenience of Light Stack. --- Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

iLightningCam 2 Lite4 screens
Light Stack Camera3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Light Stack Camera at 4.7 against iLightningCam 2 Lite's 3.8. Light Stack Camera also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (73% vs 60%). iLightningCam 2 Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume and ads 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. Light Stack Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. iLightningCam 2 Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Light Stack Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of iLightningCam 2 Lite's written reviews are positive against 73% of Light Stack Camera's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iLightningCam 2 Lite ships an update every 9 months, Light Stack Camera weekly. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
iLightningCam 2 Lite versus Light Stack Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriLightningCam 2 LiteLight Stack Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (25 ratings)4.7 (28 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews73.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2528 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlorian StiassnyCogitap Software

Customer experience

iLightningCam 2 Lite

All ratings25 ratings
Positive64.0%
Neutral16.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral7.5%
Negative32.5%

Light Stack Camera

All ratings28 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive73.1%
Neutral3.8%
Negative23.1%

In-app purchases

None

iLightningCam 2 Lite

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Light Stack Camera

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$34.99

Questions

Is iLightningCam 2 Lite free?
iLightningCam 2 Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Light Stack Camera free?
Light Stack Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iLightningCam 2 Lite or Light Stack Camera?
Light Stack Camera is rated higher. iLightningCam 2 Lite averages 3.8 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Light Stack Camera averages 4.7 from 28 ratings.
Do iLightningCam 2 Lite or Light Stack Camera have ads?
Neither iLightningCam 2 Lite nor Light Stack Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iLightningCam 2 Lite or Light Stack Camera?
iLightningCam 2 Lite ships an update every 9 months, and Light Stack Camera weekly. Most recently, iLightningCam 2 Lite was updated on October 14, 2026 and Light Stack Camera on October 14, 2026.

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