Comparison

HappyMapper vs Dusklight

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

Head to head
About

HappyMapper

Transform your iPhone and a projector into a dynamic art studio. Map images and videos onto any object in your space, from furniture to walls, bringing them to life with light and motion. No prior design experience or expensive software is required to create stunning visual installations.

Highlights
  • Map images and video onto any surface
  • Draw and warp shapes to fit objects
  • Layer multiple surfaces for complex designs
  • Search millions of free videos and GIFs
  • Import your own photos and videos
  • Intuitive touch controls for easy manipulation
  • Save and reload custom setups
Features
Read full description

HappyMapper turns your iPhone and a projector into an art studio without walls. Map images and video onto anything in your space. A couch, a vase, a doorframe, your ceiling. Watch ordinary objects come alive with light, color, and motion. No design experience needed. No expensive software. Just your phone, a projector, and your imagination. CREATE YOUR OWN LIGHT INSTALLATIONS - Draw shapes directly on your screen and warp them to fit any surface - Curve edges to follow arches, round objects, and organic shapes - Layer multiple surfaces for complex, room-filling installations - Blend shapes together for seamless mapped surfaces - Cutout mode allows you to use a shape to block out light in a certain area BRING YOUR SPACE TO LIFE - Search millions of free videos: fire, water, abstract textures, neon, nature - Browse billions of GIFs for looping animations and memes - Import your own photos and videos - Pan and zoom media within each shape for perfect placement MADE FOR CREATORS, NOT ENGINEERS - Intuitive touch controls: drag, warp, and place with your fingers - Built-in quick start guide gets you mapping in minutes - Save your setups and reload them instantly - Last session is always saved so you can resume where you left off INSPIRE YOUR SPACE Whether you're setting the mood for a dinner party, creating a bedroom art installation, filming content for social media, or taking the stage, HappyMapper makes projection art accessible to everyone. One shape is free, with full access to every feature. Upgrade to Premium to add unlimited shapes.

About

Dusklight

Features
Read full description

Chase the light with Dusklight—the photography companion built around sunset direction, golden hour timing, and the quality of the sky. Whether you are scouting a location, timing a shoot, or building a personal collection of sunrises and sunsets, Dusklight puts the sun at the center of your planning. HORIZON See where the sun rises and sets from your current location. A live compass, map direction cones, sun path arc, and sunset countdown help you line up the perfect frame. Search places, save favorite viewpoints, and return to them anytime. GOLDEN HOUR Know exactly when the light is right. Countdown rings, sun altitude charts, estimated light intensity, UV forecasts, and a shoot-window score help photographers plan the next three hours with confidence. Start a Live Activity to track golden hour from your Lock Screen. ATMOSPHERE Check today’s sunset quality score and browse a 7-day outlook shaped by weather conditions. Understand what is helping—or hurting—the sky before you head out. GALLERY Build your own sunrise and sunset collection. Capture photos in-app or import from your library. Add titles, locations, and camera details. Browse curated inspiration and community-style picks for ideas on composition and mood. EXPLORE Go deeper with Rest Light—personalized evening display guidance synced to local sunset times, including when to consider Night Shift and warmer screen settings. Discover polar day and night science, legendary sunset locations around the world, and save spots worth revisiting. WIDGETS & LIVE ACTIVITIES Keep golden hour on your Home Screen and Lock Screen with a beautiful widget and real-time countdown. DESIGNED FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS & SKY LOVERS • Sunset and sunrise direction for your location • Golden hour, blue hour, and twilight timing • Weather-informed atmosphere and shoot scores • Saved spots, journal, and achievements • Educational sky and polar content • Light/dark appearance options • No account required • No ads or in-app purchases PRIVACY FIRST Dusklight uses your location only while the app is open to calculate sun position and local forecasts. Photos you add are stored locally on your device. We do not sell personal data, use third-party analytics, or track you across apps and websites. DATA SOURCES Weather from Open-Meteo. Sun times from sunrise-sunset.org with offline solar math fallback. Map data from Apple. Dusklight is an informational photography aid. Sunset quality scores, forecasts, and sun position calculations are estimates—always use your own judgment outdoors and follow local safety guidelines. Chase the light. Plan the shot. Capture the sky.

Screenshots

HappyMapper4 screens
Dusklight4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dusklight at none against HappyMapper's 3. Dusklight also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). On price, ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. HappyMapper sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Dusklight asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HappyMapper ships an update every 5 days, Dusklight daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HappyMapper versus Dusklight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHappyMapperDusklight
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKenny LuIn My Threds, LLC

In-app purchases

3 purchases

HappyMapper

Subscriptions2
  • HappyMapper Pro3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • HappyMapper Pro3 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • HappyMapper PRO Lifetime$14.99
None

Dusklight

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HappyMapper free?
HappyMapper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dusklight free?
Dusklight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HappyMapper or Dusklight have ads?
Neither HappyMapper nor Dusklight shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HappyMapper or Dusklight?
HappyMapper ships an update every 5 days, and Dusklight daily. Most recently, HappyMapper was updated on October 24, 2026 and Dusklight on October 5, 2026.

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