# Lighter vs GridIQ

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GridIQ at 100% against Lighter's 47%. GridIQ also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). Lighter's advantage is ratings volume (1K vs 4) and device support (3 vs 1). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lighter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. GridIQ asks for nothing beyond the download.

GridIQ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lighter has 1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Lighter's written reviews are positive against 100% of GridIQ's.

Lighter ships an update every 4 months, GridIQ fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lighter | GridIQ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighter/id552812628/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridiq/id6759573464/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 46.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KISSAPP, S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/552812711) | [Eric Ribbeck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879573874) |

## What reviewers say

### Lighter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighter/id552812628)

Experience the most realistic virtual lighter. Customize flame colors, personalize your device with photos, and enjoy interactive features like motion-sensitive flames and concert modes. Perfect for adding ambiance to any occasion.

**Highlights:** Personalize with photos and skins, Motion-sensitive flame, Concert Mode with music sync, Adjustable flame intensity, Interactive lid control, Candle mode for romantic settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lighter Full Version | $1.99 | per month |
| Lighter Full Version Year | $9.99 | per year |
| Version Full Lighter | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🎉 Awesome lighter
- 💫 Impressive visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Too many ads
- 💰 Paywalled features
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🚫 Doesn't work as expected

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes frequently
- Purchased upgrades not working as intended
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- More lighter styles and customization options
- Ability to control flame intensity
- Integrate with camera/flashlight


### GridIQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridiq/id6759573464)

Track your New York Times crossword puzzle performance with detailed analytics. See daily stats, solve trends, and personal records. All your solve history is stored locally for privacy.

**Highlights:** Syncs NYT Crossword solve history, Detailed analytics by day of week, Personal records tracking, Filter by Daily, Mini, or clean solves, Browse and search full solve history, Weekly performance reports, Local data storage for privacy

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lighter free?

Lighter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is GridIQ free?

GridIQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lighter or GridIQ?

GridIQ is rated higher. Lighter averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while GridIQ averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Lighter or GridIQ have ads?

Lighter shows ads; GridIQ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Lighter or GridIQ?

Lighter ships an update every 4 months, and GridIQ fortnightly. Most recently, Lighter was updated on November 6, 2026 and GridIQ on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*