# Flir One vs IR explorer

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flir One | IR explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flir-one/id875842742/reviews)** | [3.1 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ir-explorer/id1580206229/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.6K** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | 21.4% of reviews | **27.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 178 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [FLIR Systems Aktiebolag](https://appshunter.io/developer/408612990) | [InfiRay Technologies Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1516230719) |

## What reviewers say

### Flir One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flir-one/id875842742)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inspection Guides | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for finding animals
- 🚀 Excellent affordable option for home inspection
- 🚀 Valued piece of tech for animal rescue
- 🚀 Excellent piece of equipment
- 🚀 Simple but informative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Image alignment issues
- 🐛 Scam - won't connect
- 🐛 Poor App/Image refresh
- 🐛 Waste of money
- 🐛 Poor UX, only real option

**Reported bugs**

- Constantly disconnecting
- App crashes
- Doesn't work with older devices after updates
- Slow refresh rate and high latency
- App requires full photo library access

**Requested features**

- 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


### IR explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ir-explorer/id1580206229)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*