Flir One vs IR explorer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flir One
This app transforms your smartphone into a thermal imaging device when connected to a compatible camera. It helps identify hidden issues like water damage, electrical faults, and HVAC problems with advanced visual enhancements and measurement tools. Document and share your findings easily.
- Thermal camera view
- Capture photos and videos
- Temperature spot measurements
- Color palette selection
- Add text notes
- Cloud upload and organization
- Inspection guides
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Connect your FLIR ONE® series Thermal Camera for efficient troubleshooting and inspection. Note: This app requires the FLIR ONE series Thermal Camera connected to your smartphone in order to see the thermal camera view, but feel free to explore the app without the device attached. For more information, visit www.flir.com/flirone. Whether you need to inspect electrical panels, find the source of HVAC failures, or discover hidden water damage, the FLIR ONE series offers the features you need to find problems faster and get more work done in less time. With advanced image enhancement features such as FLIR MSX® and FLIR VividIR™, the FLIR ONE series provides best-in-class thermal imagery for smartphones that ensures you can detect problems with precision. The revolutionary rugged and ergonomic camera design combined with the wireless connection of the FLIR ONE Edge series ensures that you can perform efficient troubleshooting with the camera attached to the phone, and have the increased flexibility of detaching the camera to easily inspect targets out of reach, while comfortably viewing your screen. Key FLIR ONE App features: • Scan for faults with the thermal camera view and capture photos and videos to your gallery • Troubleshoot efficiently with automatic tracking of the hottest and coldest spot (Edge Series and Pro Series only) • Choose between a variety of color palettes for best visualization • Analyze faults with temperature spot measurements • Adjust the IR scale to highlight the problem (Edge and Pro Series only) • Switch between Quality Mode for best possible image quality, or Performance Mode for a more responsive camera experience • Add text notes to photos to document your findings • Connecting to FLIR Ignite™ allows you to instantly upload your files to the cloud, so you can access them from any device, organize files into folders, edit images, create reports and share findings with co-workers and clients • FLIR ONE Inspection Guides (paid feature) empowers you to identify issues with confidence, through step-by-step guides packed with helpful tips on how to identify moisture, insulation and air leak issues • Explore the eco-system of a wide range of FLIR ONE compatible apps tailored for specific use cases For additional application ideas and news, or to share your day-to-day discoveries, follow FLIR on social media channels at facebook.com/flir, instagram.com/flir, x.com/flir, and youtube.com/flir. Terms of use: https://www.flir.com/corporate/terms-of-use/
IR explorer
This app transforms your smartphone into an infrared camera, allowing you to see objects emitting heat in dark environments. It offers clear imaging, various filter effects, and real-time temperature detection for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals.
- Infrared camera functionality
- Clear night vision imaging
- Temperature detection
- Multiple filter effects
- Hot spot tracking
- Laser pointing function
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Why choose us? The infrared camera mainly realizes day and night conversion through infrared filters. We use advanced technology and materials to make excellent optical components. The algorithm of infiraySearch APP can clearly see objects with radiating infrared rays in a dark environment, and the picture quality is clear and sharp. , which can meet the needs of most outdoor enthusiasts. At the same time, we provide a variety of filter effects, the color effect of the picture is more abundant. Not only that, but also through the temperature detection function of the infiraySearch APP, the temperature changes of the surrounding environment can be captured in real time, which makes the Sky Eye T2-Search more playable. What are our advantages? 1. Plug and play, easy to use Tianyan T2-Search can be connected to a smartphone, weighs less than 20 grams, and is easy to carry and use. 2. Ultra-low power consumption Ultra-low power consumption, no battery design, long-term standby when used with smart phones. 3. High pixel, high frame rate, clear and smooth imaging Ultra-long detection range: using high-definition lens, human body can be recognized even at a distance of 150 meters; the frame rate is up to 25Hz, the image quality is smooth and will not freeze; multiple filters are provided Effect, red hair mode for quick target identification. 4. Professional patented algorithm Professional night vision image algorithm: high light heat source, easy to identify the target; hot spot tracking: using mesh, so that the target has nowhere to hide. 5. Laser Grip Smartphone with T2-Search and ergonomically designed grip with laser pointing function can quickly and accurately determine the target position.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Flir One at 4.6 against IR explorer's 3.1. Flir One also leads on ratings volume (7.6K vs 38). IR explorer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, review sentiment, 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
Both are free to download. Flir One sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. IR explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Flir One holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flir One has 7.6K ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 21% of Flir One's written reviews are positive against 27% of IR explorer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Flir One ships an update every 5 weeks, IR explorer fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.
| Parameter | Flir One | IR explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (7.6K ratings) — better | 3.1 (38 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 21.4% of reviews | 27.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7.6K — better | 38 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 178 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | FLIR Systems Aktiebolag | InfiRay Technologies Co.,Ltd. |
Customer experience
Flir One
IR explorer
Bugs and requests
Flir One
Reported bugs
7 issues- Constantly disconnecting
- App crashes
- Doesn't work with older devices after updates
- Slow refresh rate and high latency
- App requires full photo library access
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- Freezes and paralyzes phone
- Crashes on startup
Requested features
6 requests- Bring back swiping between thermal and regular images
- Allow locking temperature scale
- Add temperature range display
- Allow setting own emissivity value
- Allow selecting colors on manual temperature scale
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- Improve camera alignment adjustability
IR explorer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Flir One
- Inspection Guides1 Year trial$29.991 Year
IR explorer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Flir One free?
Is IR explorer free?
Which has better reviews, Flir One or IR explorer?
Do Flir One or IR explorer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Flir One or IR explorer?
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