Comparison

Monitor Calibrator vs calibratr

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

Head to head
About

Monitor Calibrator

Features
Read full description

The Monitor Calibrator App is unique in that it transforms your iPhone into a monitor calibration probe. You need to install the macOS version on your computer and the iOS version on your iPhone. Once installed, your monitor should be attached to either the Thunderbolt or HDMI port on your computer. You can either attach your iPhone to your computer by wifi or usb. If attached by wifi, make sure you are both on the same network. Once you start the calibration process, it will ask you to aim the iPhone camera to the target that will appear on the monitor. You will then be prompted to confirm this and then start the process. The patches will then come up full screen on your display as seen by the iPhone. Once completed, you can then save the results to your computer. We have worked hard to make the calibration process as simple as possible,

About

calibratr

This tool transforms your iPhone into a display measuring instrument, ensuring your photos appear as intended. It works with a free Mac app to calibrate your monitor, correcting color inaccuracies and providing detailed reports on display performance. Without a Mac, it functions as a light meter for various glowing surfaces.

Highlights
  • Monitor calibration using iPhone
  • RAW measurement of color patches
  • ICC color profile generation
  • White point, grey balance, and tone curve correction
  • Before and after image comparison
  • Light meter for glowing surfaces
Read full description

Your photos, the way you edited them. Out of the box, a monitor rarely shows what is in the file: too cool, too blue, with greys that drift in the shadows. Anyone who edits photos then corrects faults that are not in the picture at all. calibratr turns your iPhone into a measuring instrument for displays and makes your monitor trustworthy again. Together with the free Mac app it calibrates your monitor. The Mac shows colour patches, the iPhone measures them in RAW: no image processing, no white balance, fixed exposure. The result is an ICC colour profile for exactly that display. White point, grey balance and tone curves are corrected, and the verification patches show in ΔE how well it went. HOW IT WORKS • Open the Mac app and choose “Start calibration” • Scan the QR code on the screen with the iPhone. Both devices on the same Wi‑Fi, everything stays on the local network • Hold the iPhone a hand's width from the centre of the screen and start on the iPhone • One to ten minutes later the result is on the iPhone and the Mac: a before and after picture comparison, plus white point, gamma, contrast, gamut and grey balance WHAT THE APP DOES WITHOUT A MAC The light meter reads any glowing surface, whether monitor, lamp or window, and shows colour temperature, white point, tint, exposure and signal-to-noise. It needs only the iPhone. WHAT IT COSTS Measuring, the report and the picture comparison are free and stay free. The one-time purchase “Keep the result” unlocks installing the finished profile on the Mac: for all your displays, for good. No subscription, no account, no server. WHAT IT CANNOT DO A phone camera is not a spectroradiometer. calibratr measures white point, grey balance and tone curves repeatably; it takes the position of the primaries from the monitor's factory profile. There is no absolute luminance in cd/m². If you need a reference instrument for prepress, you need a colorimeter. REQUIREMENTS • iPhone with a RAW-capable camera, iOS 16 or later • For calibration: the free Mac app (calibratr.app.freshx.de), macOS 13 or later PRIVACY No accounts, no analytics, no advertising. Shots are reduced to readings on the device and are neither stored nor transmitted. iPhone and Mac connect directly over your Wi‑Fi.

Screenshots

Monitor Calibrator3 screens
calibratr4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: calibratr at Free against Monitor Calibrator's $12.99. calibratr also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.4). Monitor Calibrator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads 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

calibratr is free to download; Monitor Calibrator costs $12.99 up front. calibratr sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Monitor Calibrator asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Monitor Calibrator ships an update every 4 months, calibratr daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Monitor Calibrator versus calibratr: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonitor Calibratorcalibratr
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating—1.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.416.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB9 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBlake JonesFreshX GmbH

In-app purchases

None

Monitor Calibrator

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

calibratr

One-time1
  • Keep the result$3.99

Questions

Is Monitor Calibrator free?
Monitor Calibrator costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is calibratr free?
calibratr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Monitor Calibrator or calibratr have ads?
Neither Monitor Calibrator nor calibratr shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Monitor Calibrator or calibratr?
Monitor Calibrator ships an update every 4 months, and calibratr daily. Most recently, Monitor Calibrator was updated on October 24, 2026 and calibratr on October 26, 2026.

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