# LightBox Extra vs Lightme

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightme at 91% against LightBox Extra's 28%. Lightme also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 13 months). LightBox Extra's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LightBox Extra sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Lightme sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lightme holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightme has 925 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of LightBox Extra's written reviews are positive against 91% of Lightme's.

LightBox Extra ships an update every 13 months, Lightme every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightBox Extra | Lightme |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbox-extra/id825134948/reviews) | **[4.8 (925 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **925** |
| Positive reviews | 27.8% of reviews | **90.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SkyCharts LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/300623345) | [Giuseppe Bertolini](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509033789) |

## What reviewers say

### LightBox Extra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbox-extra/id825134948)

Easily view 35mm negatives and slides on your iOS device. Customize the background for optimal viewing and the app remembers your preferred settings.

**Highlights:** View 35mm negatives and slides, Customizable white background, Background adjusts to negative/slide area, Resizes for all iOS7 devices, Remembers custom box sizes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Lightme

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790)

This powerful light meter app offers a clean, intuitive interface optimized for one-handed use. It displays multiple aperture and shutter speed combinations simultaneously, aiding quick setting selection. Suitable for beginners and experienced photographers alike, it includes advanced features like spot metering, reciprocity failure compensation, and pinhole mode.

**Highlights:** Multiple exposure settings display, One-handed operation, Spot metering with zoom, Reciprocity failure compensation, Pinhole mode, Incident light metering, Film database

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Espresso ristretto | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pecorino Romano | $4.99 | one-time |
| Guanciale | $9.99 | one-time |
| Parmigiano | $16.99 | one-time |
| Pizza for two | $29.99 | one-time |
| Do this full-time | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate metering
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Comprehensive features (spot metering, zone system, film stock selection, etc.)
- 🚀 Consistently accurate exposures
- 👍 Thoughtful design with user's needs in mind

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 👎 Confusing or cluttered interface for some users
- 👎 Tedious film selection process
- 🐛 Inaccurate metering in certain lighting conditions

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 16
- Metering issues with certain camera/lens combinations

**Requested features**

- Add shutter angle adjustment for cinematography
- Implement ISO lock feature
- Add more film stock profiles
- Improve film selection process (e.g. search, categories)
- Provide more customization options (e.g. interface themes)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBox Extra free?

LightBox Extra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lightme free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LightBox Extra or Lightme?

Lightme is rated higher. LightBox Extra averages 2.3 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Lightme averages 4.8 from 925 ratings.

### Do LightBox Extra or Lightme have ads?

Neither LightBox Extra nor Lightme shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightBox Extra or Lightme?

LightBox Extra ships an update every 13 months, and Lightme every 3 weeks. Most recently, LightBox Extra was updated on October 7, 2026 and Lightme on October 12, 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.*