# Dark Sky Meter vs Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite

The clearest difference is price: Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite at Free against Dark Sky Meter's $1.99. Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and review sentiment (81% vs 40%). Dark Sky Meter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#71 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite is free to download; Dark Sky Meter costs $1.99 up front. Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Dark Sky Meter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite has 1.8K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Dark Sky Meter's written reviews are positive against 81% of Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite's.

Dark Sky Meter ships an update every 3 months, Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite weekly. Both last shipped on November 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dark Sky Meter | Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-sky-meter/id602989060/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physics-toolbox-sensor-suite/id1128914250/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 40.4% of reviews | **80.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#71** | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DDQ](https://appshunter.io/developer/418328467) | [Chrystian Vieyra](https://appshunter.io/developer/998187453) |

## What reviewers say

### Dark Sky Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-sky-meter/id602989060)

**Currently charting:** #71 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This application utilizes your device's camera to measure the brightness of the night sky. The collected data can be optionally shared with scientific researchers worldwide.

**Highlights:** Measures sky brightness, Uses device camera, Optional data sharing, Contributes to scientific research

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Great idea for dark sky measurement
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 💰 Good value for price
- 🔭 Useful for astronomers
- 🗺️ Contributes to dark sky mapping

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Inaccurate readings compared to SQM meters
- 🚫 "Too dark for device" error frequently
- 📱 Inconsistent performance on newer iPhones
- 💻 Website/support links are unhelpful
- ❓ Lacks clear instructions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- "Too dark for device" error persists
- Inaccurate measurements
- History of measurements lost after updates
- App does not start after update

**Requested features**

- Option to use front-facing camera
- Automatic dark and light measurements
- Local time display instead of UTC
- Calibration function to add offset
- List of observations to be restored


### Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physics-toolbox-sensor-suite/id1128914250)

This app turns your phone into a scientific instrument suite, measuring sound, light, magnetism, motion, and more. It's ideal for students, educators, researchers, and hobbyists to record, analyze, and export real-time sensor data for experiments and research.

**Highlights:** Measure sound, light, magnetism, and motion, Record, analyze, and export real-time data, AR visualization for magnetic fields and measurements, Includes barometer, GPS, and ruler functions, Data-verified challenges for interactive learning

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dark Sky Meter free?

Dark Sky Meter costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite free?

Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dark Sky Meter or Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite?

Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite is rated higher. Dark Sky Meter averages 3.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite averages 4.7 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Dark Sky Meter or Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite have ads?

Neither Dark Sky Meter nor Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dark Sky Meter or Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite?

Dark Sky Meter ships an update every 3 months, and Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite weekly. Most recently, Dark Sky Meter was updated on November 13, 2026 and Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite on November 13, 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.*