Comparison

Optimising 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

Optimising

This utility helps optimize the performance of rotary cutting tools like drills, taps, milling cutters, and reamers. It provides assistance to enhance the efficiency of these tools in various applications.

Highlights
  • Optimize rotary cutting tool performance
  • Assists with drills, taps, milling cutters, reamers
  • Enhances tool efficiency
Features
Read full description

Optimising from Guhring is designed to assist you to optimise the performance of rotary cutting tools such as drills, taps, milling cutters and reamers.

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

Optimising4 screens
Light Meter LM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Light Meter LM at 4.5 against Optimising's 2.8. Light Meter LM also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 4). Optimising's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (63% vs 40%). On price, 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. Optimising asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Light Meter LM holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Light Meter LM has 2.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Optimising'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

Optimising ships an update every 8 months, Light Meter LM monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Optimising versus Light Meter LM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOptimisingLight Meter LM
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (4 ratings)4.5 (2.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews — better40.3% of reviews
Number of ratings42.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsMonthly — 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+
DeveloperGuhring Pty. Ltd.Lightray Innovation GmbH

Customer experience

Optimising

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%

Light Meter LM

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

Bugs and requests

Optimising

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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

Optimising

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 Optimising free?
Optimising 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, Optimising or Light Meter LM?
Light Meter LM is rated higher. Optimising averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Light Meter LM averages 4.5 from 2.6K ratings.
Do Optimising or Light Meter LM have ads?
Neither Optimising nor Light Meter LM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Optimising or Light Meter LM?
Optimising ships an update every 8 months, and Light Meter LM monthly. Most recently, Optimising was updated on October 12, 2026 and Light Meter LM on October 15, 2026.

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