# Shutter vs Light Box

The clearest difference is price: Shutter at Free against Light Box's $0.99. Shutter also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (58% vs 48%). Light Box's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.5) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 13.0). On ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Shutter is free to download; Light Box costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Light Box holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 11 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Shutter's written reviews are positive against 48% of Light Box's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shutter ships an update monthly, Light Box every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shutter | Light Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [3.5 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shutter-speed/id560154244/reviews) | **[4.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-box-illuminator-viewer/id692114712/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **58.0% of reviews** | 47.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 6 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **7.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Filmomat GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/455575975) | [Systemiko Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/680630947) |

## What reviewers say

### Shutter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shutter-speed/id560154244)

Test the shutter speeds of your analog cameras using your iPhone. For precise measurements, use with the PhotoPlug accessory. Without it, the app analyzes shutter sound for speeds below 1/30sec.

**Highlights:** Test analog camera shutter speeds, Use with PhotoPlug accessory for light measurement, Analyze shutter sound for speeds below 1/30sec, Store measurement values in a table, Manage multiple cameras and lenses, Calculate correction factors for faulty shutters

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Light Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-box-illuminator-viewer/id692114712)

Transform your iPad into a versatile film illuminator viewer. Adjust brightness, lock rotation, and add grids or lines for precise viewing. A cost-effective alternative to dedicated lightboxes.

**Highlights:** Film negative/positive viewer, Adjustable brightness, Rotation lock, Grid and line overlays, iPad optimized

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shutter free?

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

### Is Light Box free?

Light Box costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shutter or Light Box?

Light Box is rated higher. Shutter averages 3.5 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Light Box averages 4.4 from 11 ratings.

### Do Shutter or Light Box have ads?

Neither Shutter nor Light Box shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shutter or Light Box?

Shutter ships an update monthly, and Light Box every 3 months. Most recently, Shutter was updated on September 20, 2026 and Light Box on June 9, 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.*