# Aperture vs Shadow Planner

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Aperture at 100% against Shadow Planner's 40%. Aperture also leads on price ($3.99 vs $29.99) and chart position (#176 vs unranked). Shadow Planner's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Aperture costs $3.99 and Shadow Planner $29.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Aperture ships an update monthly, Shadow Planner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aperture | Shadow Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $29.99 |
| Rating | — | **[4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-planner/id6793171158/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#176** | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolae Gherasim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437386557) | [Christopher Fenner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896490601) |

## What reviewers say

### Aperture

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aperture-light-meter/id6450930505)

**Currently charting:** #176 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shadow Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-planner/id6793171158)

Visualize sun and shadow placement on real-world maps before filming. Scout locations by dropping virtual objects, simulating light movement throughout the day, and measuring distances for precise rigging. Export scenes for planning and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Real sun and shadow simulation on maps, 3D terrain and buildings for accurate shadows, Place and manipulate virtual frames and objects, Simulate light movement from sunrise to sunset, Measure distances and gear ranges, Export scenes and share links

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aperture free?

Aperture costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shadow Planner free?

Shadow Planner costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Aperture or Shadow Planner have ads?

Neither Aperture nor Shadow Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aperture or Shadow Planner?

Aperture ships an update monthly, and Shadow Planner every 5 days. Most recently, Aperture was updated on October 7, 2026 and Shadow Planner on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*