Comparison

Flir One vs IR explorer

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Thermal camera view
  • Capture photos and videos
  • Temperature spot measurements
  • Color palette selection
  • Add text notes
  • Cloud upload and organization
  • Inspection guides
Features
Read full description

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/

About

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.

Highlights
  • Infrared camera functionality
  • Clear night vision imaging
  • Temperature detection
  • Multiple filter effects
  • Hot spot tracking
  • Laser pointing function
Features
Read full description

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

Flir One4 screens
IR explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Flir One ships an update every 5 weeks, IR explorer fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Flir One versus IR explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlir OneIR explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (7.6K ratings) — better3.1 (38 ratings)
Positive reviews21.4% of reviews27.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.6K — better38
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size178 MB75 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFLIR Systems AktiebolagInfiRay Technologies Co.,Ltd.

Customer experience

Flir One

All ratings7,615 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral3.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews374 reviews
Positive21.4%
Neutral7.0%
Negative71.7%

IR explorer

All ratings38 ratings
Positive52.6%
Neutral2.6%
Negative44.7%
Written reviews84 reviews
Positive27.4%
Neutral11.9%
Negative60.7%

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
Show 2 more
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Improve camera alignment adjustability

IR explorer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Flir One

Subscriptions1
  • Inspection Guides1 Year trial$29.991 Year
None

IR explorer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Flir One free?
Flir One is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is IR explorer free?
IR explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Flir One or IR explorer?
Flir One is rated higher. Flir One averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while IR explorer averages 3.1 from 38 ratings.
Do Flir One or IR explorer have ads?
Neither Flir One nor IR explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Flir One or IR explorer?
Flir One ships an update every 5 weeks, and IR explorer fortnightly. Most recently, Flir One was updated on September 22, 2026 and IR explorer on September 22, 2026.

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