# HamsterBase vs Portable Light Meter

The clearest difference is price: HamsterBase at Free against Portable Light Meter's $0.99. HamsterBase also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

HamsterBase is free to download; Portable Light Meter costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HamsterBase ships an update every 2 months, Portable Light Meter every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HamsterBase | Portable Light Meter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 8 months |
| Size | 119 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [纯洁 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1665792418) | [家啟 褚](https://appshunter.io/developer/1576063354) |

## What reviewers say

### HamsterBase

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsterbase/id6467029527)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Portable Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portable-light-meter/id6741569936)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HamsterBase free?

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

### Is Portable Light Meter free?

Portable Light Meter costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do HamsterBase or Portable Light Meter have ads?

Neither HamsterBase nor Portable Light Meter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HamsterBase or Portable Light Meter?

HamsterBase ships an update every 2 months, and Portable Light Meter every 8 months. Most recently, HamsterBase was updated on October 2, 2026 and Portable Light Meter on October 1, 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.*