# Lighter vs Butterfly Knife

The clearest difference is rating: Lighter at 4.4 against Butterfly Knife's 3.8. Lighter also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 33 months). Butterfly Knife's advantage is iOS requirement (10 vs 13.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lighter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Butterfly Knife sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lighter holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 774 and 744 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 47% and 47% positive.

Lighter ships an update every 4 months, Butterfly Knife every 33 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lighter | Butterfly Knife |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (774 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighter/id552812628/reviews)** | [3.8 (744 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/butterfly-knife/id703155865/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **774** | 744 |
| Positive reviews | **47.0% of reviews** | 46.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 33 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **10** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [KISSAPP, S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/552812711) | [Lukas Lubbe](https://appshunter.io/developer/357370470) |

## 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


### Butterfly Knife

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/butterfly-knife/id703155865)

Experience the thrill of a virtual butterfly knife with realistic simulations. Collect a variety of knives, practice tricks, and enjoy immersive sound effects. This app offers a lifelike balisong experience for enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Realistic butterfly knife simulation, Interactive balisong gameplay, Knife collection system, Immersive sound effects, Multiple knife sizes, Left-handed support

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extension Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Camouflage Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pink Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tactical | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skull | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tanto | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gold | $1.99 | one-time |
| I Am Rich | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Realistic knife simulation
- 👍 Fun to play with
- 🤖 Relaxing experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited functionality (only open/close)
- 💰 Paid content required for more knives
- 🤯 Confusing controls

**Reported bugs**

- Knife movement is buggy and unreliable
- App crashes or freezes on some devices

**Requested features**

- Add more tricks and knife manipulation options
- Implement touch controls for better interactivity
- Provide more free knife models


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lighter free?

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

### Is Butterfly Knife free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lighter or Butterfly Knife?

Lighter is rated higher. Lighter averages 4.4 out of 5 from 774 ratings, while Butterfly Knife averages 3.8 from 744 ratings.

### Do Lighter or Butterfly Knife have ads?

Neither Lighter nor Butterfly Knife shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lighter or Butterfly Knife?

Lighter ships an update every 4 months, and Butterfly Knife every 33 months. Most recently, Lighter was updated on September 28, 2026 and Butterfly Knife on September 23, 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.*