# Light Box vs TracingMat

The clearest difference is price: TracingMat at Free against Light Box's $0.99. TracingMat also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 48%) and device support (3 vs 1). Light Box's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.1 vs 3.7). On ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

TracingMat is free to download; Light Box costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Light Box holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 26 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of Light Box's written reviews are positive against 64% of TracingMat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light Box | TracingMat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-box-illuminator-viewer/id692114712/reviews)** | [3.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracingmat/id1497442654/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **26** |
| Positive reviews | 47.6% of reviews | **63.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 1 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 12.4 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Systemiko Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/680630947) | [Yoko Nishimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497442653) |

## What reviewers say

### Light Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-box-illuminator-viewer/id692114712)

Transform your iPad into a versatile film illuminator viewer. Adjust brightness, lock rotation, and add grids or lines for precise viewing. A cost-effective alternative to dedicated lightboxes.

**Highlights:** Film negative/positive viewer, Adjustable brightness, Rotation lock, Grid and line overlays, iPad optimized

**In-app purchases:** none


### TracingMat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracingmat/id1497442654)

Transform your device into a digital light table for tracing. Display an image and overlay your paper to easily copy designs. Adjust brightness, zoom, and rotate for optimal tracing conditions.

**Highlights:** Use device as a light table, Overlay paper for tracing, Adjustable screen brightness, Image zoom and pan, Image flip and rotate, Add images via import or camera

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Light Box free?

Light Box costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is TracingMat free?

TracingMat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Light Box or TracingMat?

Light Box is rated higher. Light Box averages 4.1 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while TracingMat averages 3.7 from 26 ratings.

### Do Light Box or TracingMat have ads?

TracingMat shows ads; Light Box does not.

### Which is updated more often, Light Box or TracingMat?

Light Box ships an update every 3 months, and TracingMat every 3 months. Most recently, Light Box was updated on October 23, 2026 and TracingMat on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*