# Lightmate vs Sidus Link

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightmate at 83% against Sidus Link's 62%. Lightmate also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15). Sidus Link's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (626 vs 79). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sidus Link holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sidus Link has 626 ratings behind it against 79, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Lightmate's written reviews are positive against 62% of Sidus Link's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lightmate ships an update every 5 weeks, Sidus Link every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightmate | Sidus Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmate/id791590935/reviews) | **[4.3 (626 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidus-link/id1471951977/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 79 | **626** |
| Positive reviews | **83.0% of reviews** | 61.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 381 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luis Laugga](https://appshunter.io/developer/791590938) | [Sidus Link Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546027954) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmate/id791590935)

This app functions as a light meter for photographers, offering a clear and intuitive interface. It supports aperture and shutter priority modes, with customizable EV scales and the ability to use both front and back cameras for measurements.

**Highlights:** Aperture priority mode, Shutter priority mode, Multiple EV scales, Back and front camera support, Tap-to-measure exposure

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Fast and accurate metering
- 💰 Free to use, no ads
- ✨ Minimalist and clean design
- 📸 Great for film photography

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤏 Small text size
- ❓ Confusing for beginners
- ⚠️ Values change too quickly
- 🎛️ Clumsy to use
- 🚫 No whole scene average reading

**Reported bugs**

- F stop disappeared
- Aperture reading disappeared
- Not working on iOS 11
- Link for camera association not working
- App requests to open association with camera

**Requested features**

- Add space between S, A, I
- Lock ISO values
- Add whole scene average reading
- Add tutorial/demo video for beginners
- Add dedicated screenshot button


### Sidus Link

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidus-link/id1471951977)

Control film lighting fixtures directly from your mobile device. This app offers advanced modes for white light, gels, color, and effects, with features for scene setup and collaboration. It supports over 100 fixtures and simplifies complex lighting workflows.

**Highlights:** Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network, White Light, Gel, Color, and Effect Modes, Unlimited Presets and QuickShots, On-set Workflow Management, Multi-device Control, Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔒 Seamless connectivity
- 💡 Powerful lighting control features
- 🎨 Excellent color management
- 🌟 Comprehensive ecosystem integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔁 Frequent need to reconnect
- 🕰️ Slow response times
- 🔒 Unnecessary password requirements
- 🤯 Confusing UI for advanced features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Inability to save/restore light settings
- Inconsistent behavior when switching devices

**Requested features**

- Artnet support for lighting automation
- Siri/voice control integration
- Dedicated desktop/tablet app
- Improved background operation and reconnection
- More comprehensive tutorials and documentation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightmate free?

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

### Is Sidus Link free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lightmate or Sidus Link?

Sidus Link is rated higher. Lightmate averages 4.1 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while Sidus Link averages 4.3 from 626 ratings.

### Do Lightmate or Sidus Link have ads?

Neither Lightmate nor Sidus Link shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightmate or Sidus Link?

Lightmate ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sidus Link every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lightmate was updated on October 6, 2026 and Sidus Link on October 5, 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.*