GrayZone vs Safelight
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GrayZone
This app acts as a precise light meter for photographers, allowing you to measure light in specific areas of your scene. It helps achieve consistent exposure and accurate tonal representation, especially in challenging lighting conditions.
- Zone System Mode for tonal analysis
- Real SPOT metering for selected areas
- Direct exposure control with ISO, shutter speed, and aperture
- Live preview with native sensor ratio
- UI color inversion option
- No ads or data collection
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GrayZone reads light where you decide — not where your camera guesses. Built by Max of max&douglas — professional photographer with 25 years in editorial and advertising photography. Zone System Mode Measure a reference area first (Zone V), then check where the other tones will fall and their relative EV difference, for precise and consistent exposure. Real SPOT Metering Reads light exclusively in the area you select. Ideal for portraits, complex lighting and critical situations. Calibrated to render the selected area as neutral gray. Direct Exposure Control Set ISO before metering, like a dedicated light meter. Instant precise combinations of shutter speed and aperture. Exposure lock with AE LOCK. Half-stop support for finer control. MANUAL mode with over/underexposure scale. Essential Interface Live preview in your sensor's native ratio. NEW UI color inversion Shows only what you need. Nothing else. Complete Privacy No ads. No photos saved. No data collected or transmitted. For manual shooters — on film or digital. It does not replace your camera. It works alongside it.
Safelight
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Safelight is a focused toolkit for the analog darkroom — built dark, glowing red, and easy to read by your safelight. SIX TOOLS IN ONE • Enlarger Timer — precise print exposures, nudged in f-stops • Test Strip — f-stop test strips with a guided, beeping sequence • Film Development — full process timer with agitation cues and temperature compensation • Reciprocity — long-exposure correction for your film stock • Dilution — mix working solutions from concentrate in seconds • Dev Chart — film and developer times, ready to load into the timer BUILT FOR THE DARK A true-black, red-and-amber interface that won't fog paper or wreck your night vision. A built-in dimmer takes the screen darker than iOS normally allows. Audible cues and haptics let you work by feel, and the screen stays awake while you print. HONEST AND PRIVATE No ads. No subscriptions. No tracking. No account. Just the timer your darkroom deserves — available in 21 languages. Note: development times, reciprocity values and temperature compensation are practical starting points. Always confirm against manufacturer data and your own results.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: GrayZone at weekly against Safelight's every 4 months. GrayZone also leads on price ($2.99 vs $3.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
GrayZone costs $2.99 and Safelight $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
GrayZone ships an update weekly, Safelight every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GrayZone | Safelight |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 2.8 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Massimiliano Schenetti | Kamil Demirtas |
In-app purchases
GrayZone
No in-app purchases
Safelight
No in-app purchases









