Comparison

Lightmate vs Light Meter LM

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

Head to head
About

Lightmate

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
Read full description

Lightmate is a simple light meter app for photographers. The user interface is designed with clarity in mind. Features: • Aperture and shutter priority modes • Multiple EV scales (iOS Settings > Lightmate) • Back and front camera support Instructions: 1. Choose the ISO, Aperture (or Shutter) values according to your camera settings. 2. The priority changes automatically to Aperture (or Shutter) mode when you change the Aperture (or Shutter) value. 3. Tap anywhere on the camera's preview screen to measure and update the exposure values. You can switch the priority mode by just tapping on the Shutter or Aperture values. Settings: You can change the default EV scale individually for Aperture, Shutter Speed or ISO values. 1. Go to the general "iOS Settings" 2. Scroll down until you find "Lightmate" 3. Change to a different EV scale (full stops, 1/2 stops or 1/3 stops)

About

Light Meter LM

Transform your smartphone into a professional light meter. Measure illuminance and color temperature with scientifically validated accuracy, trusted by professionals. Requires a simple diffuser for precise readings.

Highlights
  • Measure illuminance (lux/foot-candle)
  • Measure color temperature (Kelvin)
  • Industry-leading accuracy
  • Pre-calibrated for your device
  • Low light sensitivity
  • Save peak reading
  • Custom calibration option
Read full description

Turn your smartphone into a professional-grade light meter. Measure illuminance (lux/foot-candle) and color temperature (CCT in Kelvin) with unmatched accuracy — trusted by photographers, engineers, and lighting professionals worldwide. Why waste money on a hardware meter when you’re already carrying one in your pocket? The LM-3000 offers the same quality and usability as a traditional hardware light meter. Developed by optics scientists at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, LM-3000 is the only light meter app scientifically validated for accuracy. It achieves professional-grade precision by leveraging your iPhone's front-facing camera sensor with advanced RAW image processing. Unlike relying on estimates like other apps, it adheres to the ISO/CIE 19476 standard, ensuring measurements you can trust for critical applications. MEASUREMENTS ⎷ Illuminance in lux or foot-candles ⎷ Correlated color temperature in kelvin FEATURES ⎷ Industry-leading accuracy, matching professional high-end lux meters ⎷ Pre-calibrated for your specific device ⎷ Excellent low light sensitivity to detect light pollution ⎷ No ads ⎷ No Bluetooth and location permission required ⎷ In-app manual ⎷ Save peak reading ⎷ HOLD function with acoustic signal ⎷ Custom calibration option to align readings to another meter DIFFUSER REQUIRED Like every real light meter, the LM-3000 requires a diffuser to measure accurately. A diffuser scatters incoming light evenly on the sensor and prevents hotspots. While it may sound complex, the solution is surprisingly easy. You have two options: 1) Easily build a diffuser yourself in less than a minute using standard printer paper. This is accurate enough for most use cases. 2) Get the dedicated Diffuser Accessory (free worldwide shipping) for best accuracy and convenience. More details on https://lightray.io/diffuser/ (!) Avoid apps that don’t require a diffuser! They are inaccurate because they ignore the basic physics of light measurement. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY The LM-3000 is free to download and comes with a free trial period. The trial period lasts for two non-consecutive days, giving you enough time to see if the app fits your needs. The status of your free trial will be shown as the "battery level" on the top right of the LM-3000's display and on the "Battery Status" screen. Once your light meter's "battery" is depleted, you may choose a Charging Option to keep using the app. You can pick what works best for you: → Single Charge — top-up for another 48 hours (perfect for occasional use), → Continuous Charging — a monthly subscription (great if you use it regularly), → Unlimited Battery — a one-time purchase for unlimited lifetime access LM-3000 is the result of over five years of dedicated research and development, ensuring you get a tool that is precise and reliable. Every in-app purchase supports future development and helps keep the app ad-free for everyone. As a member of 1% for the Planet, we donate at least one percent of all revenue to environmental non-profits — this is our way of giving back. ACCURACY Accuracy is not an afterthought — Apps developed by Lightray Innovation are developed according to the ISO/CIE 19476 standard. Thanks to RAW image processing and a default calibration per device model they’re able to match the performance of high quality traditional hardware light meters. To ensure quality we rigorously test our apps regularly on upcoming devices. DOWNLOAD FOR FREE. TRUSTED BY MILLIONS. LM-3000 is the go-to light meter for photographers, professionals, engineers, and lighting enthusiasts who rely on accurate measurements — not estimates or guesswork. Download for free today and experience the difference! See the app in action: https://youtu.be/EJW7NfE2qCk Terms and Conditions: https://lightray.io/lightmeter/terms/

Screenshots

Lightmate3 screens
Light Meter LM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightmate at 83% against Light Meter LM's 40%. Lightmate also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Light Meter LM's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 79). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Light Meter LM sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. Lightmate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Light Meter LM holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Light Meter LM has 2.6K 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 40% of Light Meter LM's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightmate ships an update every 5 weeks, Light Meter LM monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Lightmate versus Light Meter LM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightmateLight Meter LM
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (79 ratings)4.5 (2.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.0% of reviews — better40.3% of reviews
Number of ratings792.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLuis LauggaLightray Innovation GmbH

Customer experience

Lightmate

All ratings79 ratings
Positive78.5%
Neutral5.1%
Negative16.5%
Written reviews88 reviews
Positive83.0%
Neutral4.5%
Negative12.5%

Light Meter LM

All ratings2,583 ratings
Positive88.0%
Neutral3.7%
Negative8.4%
Written reviews206 reviews
Positive40.3%
Neutral5.8%
Negative53.9%

User reviews

Lightmate

From 79 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Light Meter LM

From 2.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great app
  • 👍 Accurate measurements
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Helpful customer service
  • 👍 Useful for science/research

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Requires diffuser for accurate readings
  • 💰 Expensive for a light meter app
  • 🔋 Battery/trial period issues
  • 🔍 Inconsistent/inaccurate readings
  • 🙄 Misleading/deceptive marketing

Bugs and requests

Lightmate

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

20 requests
  • Add space between S, A, I
  • Lock ISO values
  • Add whole scene average reading
  • Add tutorial/demo video for beginners
  • Add dedicated screenshot button
Show 15 more
  • Keep exposure circle on screen longer
  • Add widget for quicker access
  • Add option to control stop numbers
  • Add exposure compensation setting
  • Add shutter angle for video
  • Add 1/50th shutter speed
  • Add ability to lock ISO/Shutter/Aperture
  • Add 1/3 stops
  • Rotate to landscape mode
  • Add exposure compensation by dragging exposure point
  • Add 125 ISO
  • Add intermediate ISO values (12, 32, 64, 80, 160)
  • Add shutter speed 50 for 24 FPS video
  • Add volume button for metering
  • Add spot/weighted metering

Light Meter LM

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Diffuser not recognized even when used
  • App locks up/crashes
  • Constant diffuser pop-up interruptions

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to use rear camera
  • More flexible diffuser options
  • Improved accuracy without diffuser

In-app purchases

None

Lightmate

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Light Meter LM

Subscriptions1
  • Continuous Charging$3.491 Month
One-time2
  • Single Charge$0.99
  • Unlimited Battery$19.99

Questions

Is Lightmate free?
Lightmate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Light Meter LM free?
Light Meter LM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lightmate or Light Meter LM?
Light Meter LM is rated higher. Lightmate averages 4.1 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while Light Meter LM averages 4.5 from 2.6K ratings.
Do Lightmate or Light Meter LM have ads?
Neither Lightmate nor Light Meter LM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightmate or Light Meter LM?
Lightmate ships an update every 5 weeks, and Light Meter LM monthly. Most recently, Lightmate was updated on October 6, 2026 and Light Meter LM on October 15, 2026.

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