Comparison

Aperture vs Golden Hour

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

Head to head
About

Aperture

This app helps film photographers achieve perfect exposure by calculating ideal aperture and shutter speed based on ISO. It also allows users to save reference photos with detailed metadata to document their creative process and settings.

Highlights
  • Accurate light metering for film ISO
  • Minimalist and intuitive design
  • Customizable aperture and shutter speed ranges
  • Reference photo album with metadata
  • Lens presets and user settings
  • Recommendations for shooting scenarios
Features
Read full description

Aperture - Light Meter: Simplifying Film Photography with Precision Aperture - Light Meter is a minimalist, intuitive tool designed to help film photographers achieve perfect exposure and document their creative process. By calculating the ideal aperture and shutter speed based on your film’s ISO sensitivity, the app ensures every shot is perfectly balanced. Featuring integrated Zone System metering, a continuous film frame counter, and a visual shot log gallery, Aperture makes it easy to track your rolls, evaluate contrast, and log settings for future analog projects. Key Features: Accurate Light Metering & Zone System: Compute precise aperture and shutter speed settings based on your film’s ISO sensitivity. Tap to measure specific target zones and pre-visualize contrast for maximum control over highlights and shadows. Continuous Film Frame Counter: Automatically track your roll from frame 0 to 36 as you shoot. Smart continuation allows manual roll extensions (e.g., frame 37+) for bulk-loaded or longer rolls, with frame numbers stamped on gallery thumbnails and photo details. Easily adjust or clear frame values with a native wheel selector. Reference Photo Album & Visual EXIF Log: Capture digital reference photos saved with complete exposure metadata (ISO, aperture, shutter speed, frame number, and date). Access a visual gallery to compare developed lab scans against original metering data. Minimalist & Intuitive Design: A clean, distraction-free interface crafted to perfection, allowing you to evaluate light and adjust settings without breaking your shooting rhythm. Customizable Ranges & Lens Presets: Match your camera setup with customizable aperture and shutter speed bounds, or select preset profiles for fast, macro, or long-exposure shooting scenarios. ISO Sensitivity Input: Dial in exact ISO values tailored to your specific 35mm or medium format film stock. Why Choose Aperture - Light Meter? Designed for Analog Shooters: Built specifically for manual film cameras, bridging the gap between analog workflow and digital logging tools. Crafted to Perfection: Fast, reliable, and distraction-freeβ€”no ads, trackers, or hidden subscriptions. Document & Refine Your Craft: Keep accurate frame-by-frame records so you know exactly how each exposure was calculated when your lab scans come back. Who Is This App For? 35mm and medium format photographers seeking high-precision exposure metering. Analog enthusiasts who want an effortless way to log film EXIF data and track frame numbers. Photographers who want a dedicated Zone System light meter built for speed in the field. Simplify your film photography workflow with Aperture - Light Meter. Achieve perfect exposure, track your roll frame by frame, and shoot with confidence. Download now to elevate your analog process!

About

Golden Hour

Features
Read full description

Plan every shoot around perfect light. Golden Hour tracks the sun for you β€” golden hour and blue hour times, sun position and path, and photo light exposure planning for any location on earth. No internet. No accounts. Just the light. BUILT FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Most sun-tracking apps are built for hikers, astronomers, or weather watchers. This one is built for you. Every label speaks photographer β€” "golden hour" instead of "solar elevation 0–6Β°," "blue hour" instead of "civil twilight." The warm charcoal UI stays readable in bright outdoor light without blinding you at dusk. WHAT YOU GET (FREE) β–Έ Light Timeline β€” see all windows for today at a glance: blue hour, golden hour, solar noon β–Έ Window Cards β€” exact start and end times for morning and evening sessions β–Έ Countdown β€” "Golden Hour in 2h 14m" β€” always know what's coming β–Έ Live Indicator β€” "18 min of warm light remaining" when you're in a window β–Έ Duration β€” "Golden Hour: 34 min today" so you know how long you have β–Έ Compass Bearing β€” "Sunset at 254Β° WSW" to plan composition in advance β–Έ 7-Day Forecast Strip β€” quick glance at golden hour start times this week β–Έ Light Quality Score β€” 1–5 star rating using WeatherKit cloud and humidity data β–Έ Home Screen & Lock Screen Widgets β€” next golden hour at a glance without opening the app LIGHT WINDOWS EXPLAINED β–Έ Golden Hour β€” sun –4Β° to +6Β° above the horizon. Warm, directional, flattering. The window every photographer plans around. β–Έ Blue Hour β€” sun –6Β° to –4Β° below the horizon. Cool, even, diffused light with blue-purple tones. Perfect for cityscapes and moody portraits. β–Έ Solar Noon β€” sun at maximum altitude. Hardest light β€” consider open shade or fill flash. PRO β€” ONE-TIME PURCHASE Unlock everything with a single payment. No subscription. No recurring charges. Pro removes ads and unlocks: β–Έ 30-Day Light Calendar β€” browse golden and blue hour times for the next 30 days. Tap any day to see all four light windows with exact times and durations. Plan weeks ahead. β–Έ Any-Date Lookup β€” check light windows for any date in the past or future at your location β–Έ Smart Notifications β€” get alerted before golden hour or blue hour with a custom lead time β–Έ Lead Time Control β€” choose 5, 10, 15, or 30 minute notification alerts independently for morning and evening WORKS COMPLETELY OFFLINE All calculations run on your device using proven astronomical maths. No internet connection needed. No API calls. No server dependency. Works in airplane mode, on a mountaintop, or at a beach with no signal β€” anywhere you shoot. PRIVACY BY DESIGN Your location is used only for local computation and is never transmitted anywhere. No accounts. No tracking. Built for photographers who care about light as much as they care about their craft. Terms of Use: https://www.cong-le.com/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://www.cong-le.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Aperture4 screens
Golden Hour4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Golden Hour at Free against Aperture's $3.99. Aperture's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Golden Hour is free to download; Aperture costs $3.99 up front. Golden Hour sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Aperture asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aperture ships an update every 5 weeks, Golden Hour every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 4 level
Aperture versus Golden Hour: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterApertureGolden Hour
Price$3.99Free β€” better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks β€” betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo β€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
MonetizationPaidβ€”
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 β€” better18.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size2 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicolae GherasimPocket Grove Ltd

In-app purchases

None

Aperture

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Golden Hour

One-time1
  • Photographer's Light Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Aperture free?
Aperture costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Golden Hour free?
Golden Hour is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Aperture or Golden Hour have ads?
Golden Hour shows ads; Aperture does not.
Which is updated more often, Aperture or Golden Hour?
Aperture ships an update every 5 weeks, and Golden Hour every 3 months. Most recently, Aperture was updated on November 7, 2026 and Golden Hour on October 25, 2026.

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