FrameLab vs Light Meter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FrameLab
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FrameLab makes your photos look like stills from a movie. Apply cinematic filters, add frames and stickers, and use on-device AI tools - all in a few taps, all on your phone. CINEMATIC FILTERS (NEW) Six film-inspired looks, each with its own mood: - Teal Shadow - blockbuster teal shadows against golden highlights - Amber Fable - rich amber and gold with a soft, fantastical glow - Pastel Symmetry - muted pastels with a gentle vignette - Cold Contrast - cool cyan-green with crushed shadows - Grindhouse Pulp - punchy contrast and heavy film grain - Noir Frame - stark, high-contrast black and white POWERFUL FILTERS From warm golden hour to crisp retro film, every filter is crafted to look natural, not overdone. BEAUTIFUL FRAMES A growing collection of frames that finish the shot - sleek and modern, bold and colourful, or vintage and textured. STICKERS, TEXT & DRAWING Add stickers, text and hand-drawn touches to make every edit yours. ON-DEVICE AI TOOLS Remove backgrounds and more with smart tools that run entirely on your iPhone. Professional results without the learning curve. PRIVACY FIRST - All photo editing happens on your device - No account required - No photos uploaded anywhere - No tracking of personal information Your photos are yours. Full stop. CREATOR CLUB Unlock every premium filter, frame and AI tool with a Creator Club subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel any time in your App Store account settings. TERMS OF USE This app is licensed under the Standard Apple End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://littleloop.co.uk/privacy.html
Light Meter
This app helps film photographers precisely measure light, distance, and depth of field before taking a shot. It offers tools for exposure evaluation, flash calculation, and reciprocity failure compensation, with advanced features available via a one-time purchase.
- Light metering
- Zone metering
- Flash calculator
- Reciprocity failure compensation
- Distance meter (LiDAR)
- Depth of field calculator
- Gear library
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FilmBox Toolkit Shoot film with greater confidence. From exposure decisions and manual focusing to long-exposure compensation and photo notes, FilmBox Toolkit brings essential film photography tools together on your iPhone. Make informed choices before you press the shutter. ZONE SYSTEM METERING Visualize readings from different areas of your scene using Zone System principles. Compare highlights and shadows, decide which details to preserve, and adjust your exposure. Built for situations where careful exposure control matters. FREE TOOLS • Light Meter (basic mode): Evaluate ambient light and get exposure settings to work from. • LiDAR Rangefinder (up to 1 meter): Estimate subject distance to assist manual focusing and flash calculations. Requires compatible hardware. • Flash Calculator (GN): Calculate settings from the guide number for shooting without TTL. • Depth of Field Calculator: Estimate your focus range and hyperfocal distance. • Reciprocity Failure Compensation: Calculate long-exposure adjustments based on your selected film. • Shutter Speed Test: Help check your camera's shutter speed and assess its performance. • Negative Viewer: Use the camera to preview negatives as positive images and inspect their contents. For previewing only; not a replacement for professional scanning or post-processing. • Gear Library & Photo Log: Organize film stocks, flashes, and preferred settings, and keep shooting notes for later reference. FREE & PRO FilmBox Toolkit is free to download. All features are free except the three Pro features below. Free features include manual input for Zone System metering, basic light metering, rangefinding up to 1 meter, the Shutter Speed Test, and the Negative Viewer. FilmBox Pro unlocks: • Zone System metering: real-time light readings. • Light Meter: 1-degree spot metering mode. • Rangefinder: distance measurements beyond 1 meter. Choose either: • A one-time lifetime purchase. • An annual subscription with access during the subscription period. See the in-app purchase screen for current pricing and purchase terms. DEVICE COMPATIBILITY • Standard SDR metering: Compatible iPhones running iOS 17 or later. • Apple Log metering: Uses 10-bit Apple Log data. Supported on iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, 16 Pro/Pro Max, and 17 Pro/Pro Max. The app selects the appropriate mode for your device. • LiDAR rangefinding: Requires a LiDAR-equipped iPhone: Pro and Pro Max models in the iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 families. Devices without Apple Log or LiDAR can still use other compatible features. Hardware support and Pro access are separate requirements. PRIVACY Metering, depth of field, and other calculations run locally on your device. We do not collect or upload your personal data. Privacy Policy: https://www.filmboxtoolkit.com/privacy.html TERMS OF USE This app is licensed under Apple's standard End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Light Meter at every 9 days against FrameLab's every 6 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. FrameLab sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Light Meter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
FrameLab ships an update every 6 months, Light Meter every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FrameLab | Light Meter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 3.6 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 85.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 47 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TIMOTHY DALTON | 卓 朱 |
In-app purchases
FrameLab
- Creator Club Monthly$1.991 Month
- Creator Club Annual$12.991 Year
Light Meter
- FilmBox Toolkit Pro Subscription$7.991 Year
- FilmBox Toolkit Pro$17.99









