Comparison

Phantom Trace vs Threshold

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

Head to head
About

Phantom Trace

Features
Read full description

Phantom Trace turns your phone into a complete paranormal investigation kit—built for investigators, ghost-hunting teams, and the endlessly curious. Whether you're sweeping an abandoned building, running an overnight at a known haunt, or chasing a story no one else will touch, Phantom Trace helps you capture what happens, keep it organized, and make sense of it afterward. LIVE SENSOR MONITORING Read your device's environmental sensors in real time—electromagnetic field, motion, audio level, barometric pressure, and compass heading—with clean readouts and live min/avg/max tracking. Tag anything unusual the moment it happens. CAPTURE EVIDENCE Document photos, video, and ambient audio with a purpose-built capture overlay, so every piece of evidence stays tied to the case and the moment it was recorded. BUILD A CASE Create detailed investigations: name the location, set the type and priority, schedule sessions, assign your equipment kit, and run solo or with a team. Every reading, photo, and note lands on one case timeline and evidence board. AI-POWERED REVIEW When the session ends, let the built-in analysis surface anomaly scores, patterns, and notable findings across your readings—so you spend less time scrubbing data and more time investigating. MAP THE UNKNOWN Explore an interactive map of haunted locations, sightings, and regional intel, and pin your own GPS-tagged investigation sites. REVIEW THE FULL TIMELINE Trace every event from session start to final evidence review, filter by sensors, evidence, or AI findings, and revisit any case anytime. Phantom Trace is a tool for documenting and analyzing your own investigations. Sensor readings reflect your device's hardware and are intended for investigative and entertainment purposes. Detect. Investigate. Uncover. SUBSCRIPTIONS Phantom Trace Pro is an auto-renewable subscription: $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Spectral Token packs are one-time purchases: 5 for $1.99, 15 for $4.99, 30 for $8.99, 50 for $15.99, 100 for $29.99. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://westmichiganmysterymachine.com/privacy SUBSCRIPTION Field Investigator Pro is an auto-renewable subscription. Monthly $4.99 or Annual $49.99. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in Settings > your name > Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://westmichiganmysterymachine.com/privacy

About

Threshold

Read full description

Threshold: Spirit Box Lab is a focused paranormal investigation app that generates indexed word outputs from live magnetic-field and device-motion activity. Instead of releasing words through a simple repeating timer, Spirit Box Lab uses calibrated sensor activity, sensitivity-based triggering, cooldown behavior, and deterministic indexed selection from a carefully curated 2,048-entry production vocabulary. Configure a Session, Area, sensitivity level, and spoken-output preference before beginning a run. Generated outputs, timestamps, and available technical Trigger Details are saved for later review. SPIRIT BOX LAB • Generate indexed word outputs from live sensor activity • Choose Low, Medium, or High sensitivity • Enable or disable spoken output • View fused magnetic-field and motion activity • Follow trigger progress and cooldown status • Review recent outputs during an active run • Save completed and interrupted runs automatically • Organize runs by Session and Area TRIGGER DETAILS Review the technical context behind saved outputs, including available information such as: • Accumulator activity • Magnetometer contribution • Device-motion contribution • Cooldown state • Sensor-derived signature • Word Index Trigger Details help preserve the conditions surrounding each generated output for later comparison and interpretation. MAGNETIC FIELD MONITOR Monitor live magnetic-field strength and changes from a calibrated baseline. View: • Current magnetic-field magnitude • X, Y, and Z axis readings • Change from baseline • Peak activity • Responsive activity levels Nearby magnets, speakers, electronics, charging equipment, metal objects, and changes in phone orientation can affect readings. VIBRATION BEACON Use the iPhone’s motion sensors to monitor device movement and surface vibration. Choose a sensitivity level and observe: • Current movement level • Stable, movement, and strong-movement states • Movement event count • A responsive full-screen visual beacon For more stable comparisons, place the phone on a fixed surface and avoid unnecessary handling. SESSIONS AND AREAS Create Sessions for separate investigations and Areas for individual rooms, zones, or locations. Saved Spirit Box runs remain connected to the selected Session and Area so activity can be reviewed within its original investigation context. Runs may also be saved as Unassigned when no Area is available. FREE ACCESS Free access includes: • 15 total minutes of complimentary Spirit Box monitoring • Up to 5 minutes per individual run • Calibration time excluded from complimentary usage • Access to previously saved runs after complimentary time is used • Magnetic Field Monitor • Vibration Beacon SPIRIT BOX LAB PRO Upgrade once for lifetime access to: • Unlimited Spirit Box monitoring • Unlimited saved Spirit Box runs • More Sessions and Areas • Trigger Details Spirit Box Lab Pro is a one-time in-app purchase. No subscription is required. PRIVACY-FOCUSED Threshold: Spirit Box Lab does not require an account. Core investigation data is stored locally on your device, and you control what you review or share. Sensor readings and generated outputs should be interpreted within the full context of the investigation. Designed for iPhone.

Screenshots

Phantom Trace4 screens
Threshold4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Phantom Trace at 15.1 against Threshold's 17.6. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Phantom Trace sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Threshold sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 4 level
Phantom Trace versus Threshold: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhantom TraceThreshold
PriceFreeFree
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB4 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperJonathon JacobsBrandon Romero

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Phantom Trace

Subscriptions2
  • Phantom Trace Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Phantom Trace Pro Annual$49.991 Year
One-time5
  • 5 Spectral Tokens$1.99
  • 15 Spectral Tokens$4.99
  • 30 Spectral Tokens$8.99
Show 2 more
  • 50 Spectral Tokens$15.99
  • 100 Spectral Tokens$29.99
1 purchases

Threshold

One-time1
  • Spirit Box Lab Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Phantom Trace free?
Phantom Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Threshold free?
Threshold is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Phantom Trace or Threshold have ads?
Neither Phantom Trace nor Threshold shows ads.

Other comparisons