# i vs M

The clearest difference is update cadence: M at every 3 months against i's every 14 months. M also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

i ships an update every 14 months, M every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | i | M |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/i-scale/id926099803/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **14** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shanghai Qingying Electronic Technology LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/926099802) | [MATATALAB CO.,LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547380894) |

## What reviewers say

### i

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/i-scale/id926099803)

Transform your microscope into a digital one using your phone and a special adapter. Capture images with embedded scale bars and annotations, then easily share them with others.

**Highlights:** Capture digital micrographs, Support magnification up to 5 objectives, Scale-bar embedding and calibration, Stamp remarks, date/time, magnification, Direct email and message sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### M

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/m-scope/id6475326425)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is i free?

i is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is M free?

M is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do i or M have ads?

Neither i nor M shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, i or M?

i ships an update every 14 months, and M every 3 months. Most recently, i was updated on September 26, 2026 and M on September 29, 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.*