LuxTest vs Lux Meter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LuxTest
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Study Light Meter helps parents, students, and everyday users quickly check whether a homework desk or reading spot is bright enough for reading, writing, and study. You can use it to: - Check estimated lux for a desk or reading area - See simple desk light levels such as Too Dim, Usable, Good for Reading, and Check Glare - Compare the left, center, and right sides of a desk with a 3-point scan - Save local history with average, minimum, and maximum values - Export records only when you choose to share them On iPhone, the app uses camera exposure settings to estimate desk light. Camera permission is used only for this light estimate. The app does not save photos or videos, and it does not upload image content. Study Light Meter is local-first, requires no account, and is intended for everyday home reference. It is not a professional lux meter, medical device, or eye health diagnosis tool.
Lux Meter
This tool transforms your iPhone into a professional light meter, measuring illuminance in lux and foot-candles in real-time. It offers exposure calculations, color temperature estimates, and various presets for different use cases, all while working offline and without ads.
- Real-time lux and foot-candle readout
- Exposure Value (EV) calculation
- Color temperature (CCT) estimate
- Spot or average metering
- Use-case presets
- CSV export of readings
- 100% offline functionality
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Lux Meter turns your iPhone into a professional light meter. Using the camera and the ISO 2720 photographic standard, it measures illuminance in lux and foot-candles in real time. Whether you're setting up studio lighting, checking your desk for eye comfort, dialing in grow lights for your plants or metering a film scene, Lux Meter gives you the numbers the pros rely on. MEASURE • Real-time lux and foot-candle readout with a one-tap unit switch • Exposure Value (EV) and color temperature (CCT in Kelvin) • Spot metering on a reticle in the middle of the camera view, or average metering of the whole frame • Live histogram, min / max / average and a live chart • A/B compare: pin a reading as the reference and see the difference in EV and percent • Lock a reading, and a low-light path that reads below 1 lux ROOM SURVEY (Premium) • Measure a grid of points across a room and see it as a heat map • Average, minimum, maximum and uniformity (U₀), checked against workplace targets for offices, classrooms, workshops, retail and corridors, or your own target • Share the result as a PDF report EXPOSURE CALCULATOR • Set two of aperture, shutter and ISO — it solves the third • ND filter, exposure compensation and a Sunny 16 helper • Cinema mode with frame rate, shutter angle and the 180° rule, plus a depth-of-field calculator (Premium) GROW LIGHT (Premium) • Turn a reading into PPFD and Daily Light Integral (DLI) for sunlight, LED, HPS, metal-halide or fluorescent light • Photoperiod setting and a light guide for low- to high-light plants TARGETS & FEEDBACK • Presets for reading, office, photography, film, plants and aquariums • Target band with an in-range indicator • Optional haptic and audio meter tick that speeds up as the light gets brighter CALIBRATION • Separate calibration for the front and back cameras, with raw and calibrated values side by side • Manual multiplier, plus multi-point calibration across the whole range (Premium) HISTORY & REPORTS • Save single readings or record the light over time, with notes and an optional location tag • Chart and statistics for every recording • PDF reports and CSV export (Premium) LUX METER PREMIUM A one-time purchase, no subscription. Unlocks Room Survey, PDF reports, unlimited history and recording time, CSV export, multi-point calibration, Grow Light, cinema mode and depth of field. MORE • 11 languages with instant in-app switching • Dark design with a light mode, grid overlay, brightness pin and keep-awake A note on accuracy: iOS does not give apps access to the ambient light sensor, so Lux Meter uses camera-based reflective metering (ISO 2720). For the best results, calibrate once against a reference meter. Measure light like a pro. Download Lux Meter.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Lux Meter at Free against LuxTest's $0.99. Lux Meter also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly). LuxTest's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On 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
Lux Meter is free to download; LuxTest costs $0.99 up front. Lux Meter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LuxTest asks for nothing beyond the download.
LuxTest ships an update monthly, Lux Meter weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LuxTest | Lux Meter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 4.6 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 晓燕 王 | Alper Sumer Guc |
In-app purchases
LuxTest
No in-app purchases
Lux Meter
- Lux Meter Premium$2.99









