Comparison

LightChaser Almanac vs THE Tether

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LightChaser Almanac

Features
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Six pro field calculators for serious photographers — all offline, all yours, with a one-time purchase. LIGHT TIMING • Golden hour, blue hour, civil twilight — to the minute • Sun compass: where in the sky is the sun, right now • Solar noon, sunrise, sunset, daylight duration PLANNING TOOLS (Premium) • Pick any future date and see the light timing • Depth-of-field calculator: focal length + aperture + distance → near/far DOF + hyperfocal distance • ND exposure converter: stops → equivalent shutter time • Moon phase calendar: when is the next full moon, when does the moon rise LOCATIONS & ALERTS (Premium) • Save unlimited shoot locations with notes • Schedule reminders for golden hour at your favourite spot • Local notifications, no account required WHY ONE-TIME PURCHASE? We believe you shouldn't pay every year for a tool you use every weekend. Pay once, get every feature, forever. No subscription. No account. No cloud sync. No ads. 100% OFFLINE Everything is calculated on-device with the public NOAA solar position algorithm. No data leaves your phone. LANGUAGES English, German, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese. PRIVACY Your locations stay on your phone. We don't track you, ever. Pay once. Yours forever.

About

THE Tether

Instantly review and manage photos wirelessly from your camera on your mobile device. This app facilitates a fast on-set workflow for photographers, allowing for image rating, RAW file matching, and organized export.

Highlights
  • Wireless JPG review while shooting
  • Support for Nikon, Sony, Canon cameras
  • Session-based photo management
  • Fullscreen review and rating
  • RAW matching and download
  • Export JPG and RAW files
Features
Read full description

THE Tether brings wireless tethering and on-set photo review from compatible Nikon, Canon and Sony cameras to Mac, iPhone and iPad. • JPG Only, JPG+RAW, RAW Only and Rated RAW modes • Sessions, filmstrip, full-screen review and ratings • Download matching RAW files for rated photos when available on the card • Recover supported missed captures after a connection interruption • Camera Import, Live View, remote shutter and settings on supported cameras • Export selected JPG/RAW files and XMP rating metadata • Connect up to four cameras, with one active Live View Mac adds Loupe, comparison and Second Display. Mobile controls and layouts differ. Connect the camera and app device to the same Wi-Fi router or smartphone hotspot. A 5GHz router is recommended. Features depend on protocol, firmware, authentication, camera capabilities, card contents and network conditions. Not every camera supports every feature. Premium offers monthly and yearly auto-renewable subscriptions. A seven-day free trial depends on the available offer and your eligibility. Check the local price, period and terms displayed by the App Store before purchase. Unless cancelled, a trial renews at the displayed price. Manage subscriptions in your App Store account and use Restore Purchases to recover existing access. THE Tether is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Nikon, Canon or Sony. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://dune-pixie-e84.notion.site/THE-tether-Privacy-Policy-3601d408edd98090b797f608872b583c

Screenshots

LightChaser Almanac4 screens
THE Tether4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: THE Tether at every 9 days against LightChaser Almanac's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. LightChaser Almanac sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and THE Tether sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LightChaser Almanac ships an update every 2 months, THE Tether every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 7 level
LightChaser Almanac versus THE Tether: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightChaser AlmanacTHE Tether
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews—85.7% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShanghai Runesmith Artificial Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.haryun song

In-app purchases

1 purchases

LightChaser Almanac

One-time1
  • LightChaser Pro$4.99
2 purchases

THE Tether

Subscriptions2
  • THE tether Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • THE tether Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year

Questions

Is LightChaser Almanac free?
LightChaser Almanac is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is THE Tether free?
THE Tether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LightChaser Almanac or THE Tether have ads?
Neither LightChaser Almanac nor THE Tether shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LightChaser Almanac or THE Tether?
LightChaser Almanac ships an update every 2 months, and THE Tether every 9 days. Most recently, LightChaser Almanac was updated on September 26, 2026 and THE Tether on October 14, 2026.

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