Comparison

KeyLight PRO vs Lightme

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

KeyLight PRO

This app simplifies off-camera flash photography by providing calculators for optimal exposure settings. It helps photographers determine ISO, aperture, strobe power, and distance, removing guesswork for both beginners and advanced users. Manage multiple lighting setups and modifiers with its virtual gear bag.

Highlights
  • Exposure calculators (ISO, aperture, strobe power, distance)
  • Key Falloff calculator
  • Virtual Gear Bag for unlimited strobe configurations
  • Strobe Library with 100+ pre-loaded models
  • Support for various light modifiers
  • Save multiple setups
Features
Read full description

Shooting off-camera flash photography is challenging. Optimal exposure settings requires a knowledge of how to balance ISO sensitivity, aperture level, strobe power and strobe proximity to the subject. Because strobe power varies dramatically not only between manufacturers and models but also when external elements such as umbrellas, soft-boxes and lighting gels are used, quickly determining correct exposure settings can be challenging at best, and frustrating at the worst. KeyLight PRO removes all of this guesswork. Easy-to-use calculators quickly and clearly display optimal ISO levels, aperture settings, strobe power levels and strobe-to-subject distances in an intuitive, familiar interface. For the more advanced photographer, the Key Falloff calculator will calculate the proximity of the strobe from the subject in order to meet a desired exposure value falloff over a specific distance. For example, the area behind a subject is 10 feet away, should be 3 stops underexposed relative to the subject, and the strobe is firing at 1/4 power and the camera is at ISO 400. What should the aperture setting be on the camera? With KeyLight PRO, the answer is a tap away. How many strobes does KeyLight PRO support? The Virtual Gear Bag provides an unlimited number of strobe makes, models and settings, and the Strobe Library provides over 100 pre-loaded strobe model configurations. The Gear Bag is readily accessible on all of the calculators, providing quick, easy and accurate exposure settings when swapping between your strobes. Only using one strobe? Keep multiple "set ups" in your Gear Bag under a variety of configurations: bare bulbed, gelled, soft-boxed, umbrellaed, neutral-density filtered, wall-bounced, go-bo'd. There is no limit to the number of ways the light from a single strobe can be modified. Create as many configurations for these light modifiers as you need, and know in an instant how to most effectively utilize them. KeyLight PRO. Control the light.

About

Lightme

This powerful light meter app offers a clean, intuitive interface optimized for one-handed use. It displays multiple aperture and shutter speed combinations simultaneously, aiding quick setting selection. Suitable for beginners and experienced photographers alike, it includes advanced features like spot metering, reciprocity failure compensation, and pinhole mode.

Highlights
  • Multiple exposure settings display
  • One-handed operation
  • Spot metering with zoom
  • Reciprocity failure compensation
  • Pinhole mode
  • Incident light metering
  • Film database
Features
Read full description

Lightme - Lightmeter is a clean, simple to use yet very powerful lightmeter. It is optimised for an easy one-handed use, both for left-handed and right-handed users, with the main controls within your thumb's reach, without the fatiguing juggling of your precious smartphone. A core distinguishing feature of Lightme - Lightmeter is that - differently from most of the other apps - it can show multiple combinations of valid settings for aperture and shutterspeed at the same time by working like a - stretched out - old needle and wheel lightmeter. This allows the user to quickly pick the desired settings without having to scroll on a tiny wheel picker. The app is designed to be welcoming to people who are just starting out, with a simple one-button use. But it offers many useful and advanced features for the more experienced shooters/users: Continuous metering (by pressing and holding or double tapping the measure button) Spot metering with a variable zoom (for more precision) which also supports average metering, and a very intuitive implementation of the zone system Automatic reciprocity failure compensation (for 25+ films, if you see exposure times in red, they are being compensated) A dedicated pinhole mode with precise exposure times for user defined apertures (multiple apertures at a time), with the possibility of setting a timer (through a shortcut) Incident light metering with calibration when using the front facing camera And more ... It also includes some other features that are enjoyable by any kind of user: Black and white preview The ability to use any of the cameras on your smartphone (swipe left/right on the preview) Multiple presets for your different camera/film/lens setups Framelines for previewing your shot, before setting up your tripod etc. A searchable list of useful tips to make better use of the application's potential A searchable list of more than 70 films to choose from with the possibility of selecting a few favourites Dark mode support and a useful level of customisation You can find even more info in the tips inside the app or you can have a look at full user manual by tapping on manual (in the settings) The app is free in all its many functionalities, but it offers In-App-Purchases in order to support the project. The only minor perk you can enable only via certain IAPs is the replacement of the Ad button with a label containing the name of your current preset, check under settings -> coffee for more info. Don't panic though, even if there's an Ad button it doesn't mean I'm going to show you ads. In fact unless you decide to tap on that button I'm never going to show you any. But if you have a few minutes to spare, watching a few of them sure helps keeping this project alive :) Try it, and, if you like it, share it with your friends and consider writing a (mini) review ;) Have a nice day, and good light!

Screenshots

KeyLight PRO4 screens
Lightme4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightme at 91% against KeyLight PRO's 44%. Lightme also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.8 vs 4.0). KeyLight PRO's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.6). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Lightme is free to download; KeyLight PRO costs $0.99 up front. Lightme sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. KeyLight PRO asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lightme holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightme has 936 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of KeyLight PRO's written reviews are positive against 91% of Lightme's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KeyLight PRO ships an update every 26 months, Lightme every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
KeyLight PRO versus Lightme: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKeyLight PROLightme
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (4 ratings)4.8 (936 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.4% of reviews90.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4936 — better
Update frequencyEvery 26 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaniel BrewerGiuseppe Bertolini

Customer experience

KeyLight PRO

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral22.2%
Negative33.3%

Lightme

All ratings925 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews214 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral1.9%
Negative7.5%

Bugs and requests

KeyLight PRO

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Lightme

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 16
  • Metering issues with certain camera/lens combinations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add shutter angle adjustment for cinematography
  • Implement ISO lock feature
  • Add more film stock profiles
  • Improve film selection process (e.g. search, categories)
  • Provide more customization options (e.g. interface themes)

In-app purchases

None

KeyLight PRO

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Lightme

One-time6
  • Espresso ristretto$1.99
  • Pecorino Romano$4.99
  • Guanciale$9.99
Show 3 more
  • Parmigiano$16.99
  • Pizza for two$29.99
  • Do this full-time$59.99

Questions

Is KeyLight PRO free?
KeyLight PRO costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lightme free?
Lightme is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, KeyLight PRO or Lightme?
Lightme is rated higher. KeyLight PRO averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Lightme averages 4.8 from 936 ratings.
Do KeyLight PRO or Lightme have ads?
Neither KeyLight PRO nor Lightme shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KeyLight PRO or Lightme?
KeyLight PRO ships an update every 26 months, and Lightme every 3 weeks. Most recently, KeyLight PRO was updated on September 23, 2026 and Lightme on October 20, 2026.

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