# Dark Sky Meter vs pippyg

The clearest difference is price: pippyg at Free against Dark Sky Meter's $1.99. Dark Sky Meter's advantage is chart position (#71 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

pippyg is free to download; Dark Sky Meter costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Dark Sky Meter holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively.

Dark Sky Meter ships an update every 3 months, pippyg every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dark Sky Meter | pippyg |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-sky-meter/id602989060/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pippyg/id1664120907/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 40.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#71** | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DDQ](https://appshunter.io/developer/418328467) | [Phil Atkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751268739) |

## 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


### pippyg

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pippyg/id1664120907)

Configure your bat recording devices remotely using your phone. Set device IDs, wake/sleep times, and location data. The app uses your phone's microphone to transmit settings to the recorder.

**Highlights:** Configure real-time clock, Set device ID, Define deployment latitude and longitude, Set wake and sleep times, Configure PIPPYG bat recorder, Configure π•pistrelle bat detector

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dark Sky Meter free?

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

### Is pippyg free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dark Sky Meter or pippyg?

Dark Sky Meter is rated higher. Dark Sky Meter averages 3.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while pippyg averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Dark Sky Meter or pippyg have ads?

Neither Dark Sky Meter nor pippyg shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dark Sky Meter or pippyg?

Dark Sky Meter ships an update every 3 months, and pippyg every 2 months. Most recently, Dark Sky Meter was updated on November 13, 2026 and pippyg on November 3, 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.*