# iMicroscope vs Magnifying Glass & Mirror

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Magnifying Glass & Mirror at 90% against iMicroscope's 31%. Magnifying Glass & Mirror also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (4.8 vs 4.2). iMicroscope's advantage is chart position (#89 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Magnifying Glass & Mirror is free to download; iMicroscope costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Magnifying Glass & Mirror holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magnifying Glass & Mirror has 8K ratings behind it against 615, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of iMicroscope's written reviews are positive against 90% of Magnifying Glass & Mirror's.

iMicroscope ships an update every 2 months, Magnifying Glass & Mirror every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iMicroscope | Magnifying Glass & Mirror |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (615 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imicroscope-magnifying-glass/id577434784/reviews) | **[4.8 (8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnifying-glass-and-mirror/id1147002653/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 615 | **8K** |
| Positive reviews | 31.3% of reviews | **90.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#89** | — |
| Size | 12 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.4** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [elklab UG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1117016330) | [SensorBLE LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/733593885) |

## What reviewers say

### iMicroscope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imicroscope-magnifying-glass/id577434784)

**Currently charting:** #89 Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Transform your phone into a powerful microscope to explore the microscopic world. View tiny objects with high magnification, capture detailed images, and share your discoveries. Perfect for examining everyday items with incredible clarity.

**Highlights:** High-powered magnification, Capture detailed images, Real-time AirPlay viewing, Examine small objects, Share discoveries

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 📸 Good for nature observation and plant identification
- 💾 Ability to save and store images
- 🔦 Built-in flashlight feature
- 🎨 Retro design aesthetic

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Limited magnification (only 8x zoom)
- 🔍 Poor image quality at higher zoom levels
- 📉 Blurry and grainy results
- 💰 Not worth the $1.99-$2.00 price
- 📱 No better than built-in iPhone camera zoom

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when saving images to photo album
- Camera shutter fails to open
- Incompatibility with iPhone 14 Pro and newer models
- Image quality degrades significantly at higher zoom levels
- App crashes on startup for some users

**Requested features**

- Zoom capability for saved images
- Higher magnification levels (beyond 8x)
- Improved image clarity and detail at maximum zoom
- Better performance with newer iPhone models
- Refund option for dissatisfied users


### Magnifying Glass & Mirror

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnifying-glass-and-mirror/id1147002653)

This app transforms your device into a powerful magnifying glass using your camera. It also functions as a mirror with adjustable light bars, perfect for low-light conditions. Freeze images for detailed inspection, adjust zoom, brightness, contrast, and even invert colors.

**Highlights:** Magnifies objects with camera, Front camera mirror function, Adjustable light bars, Freeze image for detailed view, Pinch to zoom, rotate, pan, Brightness and contrast adjustment, Color inversion (negative image)

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent magnification
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔍 Helpful for reading small text
- 💡 Freeze and zoom feature
- 🔍 Great for coins and jewelry

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional freezing/crashing issues
- 🔍 Limited magnification levels
- 🔍 Struggles with low-quality front camera
- 🔍 Difficult to adjust focus and lighting

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing/crashing on some devices
- Incompatibility with certain tablet models

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust magnification levels
- Option to disable camera shutter sound
- Support for rotating the screen on tablets
- Longer screen timeout to avoid auto-lock


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iMicroscope free?

iMicroscope costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Magnifying Glass & Mirror free?

Magnifying Glass & Mirror is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iMicroscope or Magnifying Glass & Mirror?

Magnifying Glass & Mirror is rated higher. iMicroscope averages 4.2 out of 5 from 615 ratings, while Magnifying Glass & Mirror averages 4.8 from 8K ratings.

### Do iMicroscope or Magnifying Glass & Mirror have ads?

Neither iMicroscope nor Magnifying Glass & Mirror shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iMicroscope or Magnifying Glass & Mirror?

iMicroscope ships an update every 2 months, and Magnifying Glass & Mirror every 3 months. Most recently, iMicroscope was updated on September 22, 2026 and Magnifying Glass & Mirror on September 22, 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.*