Comparison

Atomic Spectra vs Dark Sky Meter Pro

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

Head to head
About

Atomic Spectra

This reference app provides detailed information on strong line atomic emission spectra within the visible range. Users can search for elements by name, symbol, or atomic number and inspect individual spectra lines. It offers interactive features to visualize and navigate spectral data.

Highlights
  • Visible range spectra (380-740nm)
  • Search by element name, symbol, or atomic number
  • Sort by name, symbol, or spectra line count
  • Inspect individual spectra lines
  • Interactive spectrum visualization
Features
Read full description

Reference app for Strong Line Atomic Emission Spectra in the visible range of 380-740nm.  Can search by element name, symbol, or atomic number. Sort by name, symbol, or count of spectra lines. Drill down to an element and inspect the individual spectra lines.  Tap on the line to show it in the spectrum; tap on the spectrum to scroll to that line.

About

Dark Sky Meter Pro

This app uses your iPhone's camera to measure sky brightness, providing scientific readings for light pollution. Track measurements, compare sites, and plan stargazing with cloud forecasts and astronomical data.

Highlights
  • Sky brightness measurement (SQM, Bortle, NELM)
  • Device-specific calibration
  • Save and sync measurements locally
  • Export data to CSV
  • Cloud forecast for planning
  • Sky quality map comparison
  • Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase data
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Dark Sky Meter Pro turns your iPhone’s camera into a sky brightness meter. Point at the night sky to get scientific readings in SQM (magnitudes per square arcsecond) and Bortle scale, plus NELM (naked-eye limiting magnitude) and an estimate of visible stars—so you can track light pollution and compare sites. Measure One-tap measurement: cover the lens for a dark frame, then point at the sky. Results in seconds. Device-specific calibration (zero point) for better accuracy; optional FOV setting (default 20° for SQM-style comparison). Readings include location and time for your records. My Data Save measurements locally and, with Sign in with Apple, sync across your devices. Export to CSV for analysis or sharing. Review history with SQM, Bortle, NELM, and location. Clouds Simple cloud forecast for your location so you can plan when to go out. Map See your (and optionally others’) measurements on a map to compare sky quality by place. Info Sunrise, sunset, and darkness window; moon phase, moonrise, and moonset for your location. Built for stargazers, astrophotographers, researchers, and anyone curious about light pollution and dark skies. No extra hardware—just your iPhone.

Screenshots

Atomic Spectra4 screens
Dark Sky Meter Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Atomic Spectra at 100% against Dark Sky Meter Pro's 0%. Atomic Spectra also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.0) and price ($1.99 vs $4.99). Dark Sky Meter Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 19 months) and chart position (#194 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Atomic Spectra costs $1.99 and Dark Sky Meter Pro $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Atomic Spectra holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Atomic Spectra's written reviews are positive against 0% of Dark Sky Meter Pro's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Atomic Spectra ships an update every 19 months, Dark Sky Meter Pro every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Atomic Spectra versus Dark Sky Meter Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAtomic SpectraDark Sky Meter Pro
Price$1.99 — better$4.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better2.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 19 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#194 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJim HaungsDDQ

Customer experience

Atomic Spectra

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dark Sky Meter Pro

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Atomic Spectra

No in-app purchases

None

Dark Sky Meter Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Atomic Spectra free?
Atomic Spectra costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dark Sky Meter Pro free?
Dark Sky Meter Pro costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Atomic Spectra or Dark Sky Meter Pro?
Atomic Spectra is rated higher. Atomic Spectra averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Dark Sky Meter Pro averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Atomic Spectra or Dark Sky Meter Pro have ads?
Neither Atomic Spectra nor Dark Sky Meter Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Atomic Spectra or Dark Sky Meter Pro?
Atomic Spectra ships an update every 19 months, and Dark Sky Meter Pro every 6 months. Most recently, Atomic Spectra was updated on October 23, 2026 and Dark Sky Meter Pro on October 25, 2026.

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