# Manual Exposure vs Light Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Light Planner at none against Manual Exposure's 3. Light Planner also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Manual Exposure's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 15 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Manual Exposure sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Light Planner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Manual Exposure ships an update every 2 months, Light Planner every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Manual Exposure | Light Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 42.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 54 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [George Koultouridis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1258081441) | [Carlos Morgado Alarcon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1739332671) |

## What reviewers say

### Manual Exposure

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manual-exposure/id697932594)

This app provides essential calculators for landscape photographers to determine exposure settings. It includes tools for ND filters, handheld shots, multiple exposures, star photography, and nightscapes, with features like a built-in timer and equipment organization.

**Highlights:** 8 landscape photography calculators, Built-in timer and notifications, Home screen widget and Apple Watch app, Equipment and item info organization, Teleconverter support, Advanced filter and stabilization settings, Dark theme support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| yearly | $8.99 | per year |
| Full version | $5.99 | one-time |


### Light Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-planner/id6480509659)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Manual Exposure free?

Manual Exposure is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Light Planner free?

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

### Do Manual Exposure or Light Planner have ads?

Neither Manual Exposure nor Light Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Manual Exposure or Light Planner?

Manual Exposure ships an update every 2 months, and Light Planner every 15 months. Most recently, Manual Exposure was updated on November 1, 2026 and Light Planner on November 4, 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.*