Comparison

Light Meter vs Lightme

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

Head to head
About

Light Meter

Measure ambient light levels using your smartphone's camera. Get quick and precise lux readings for personal use, saving you the cost of professional equipment. Simply open the app and point your camera to see real-time measurements.

Highlights
  • Easy lux measurement
  • High precision readings
  • Real-time updates
  • Unique and attractive design
  • Simple and convenient to use
Features
Read full description

Light Meter – Professional Exposure & Lux Meter Turn your iPhone into a powerful light meter for photography, filmmaking, video, studio lighting, and everyday light measurement. Measure light levels in lux, foot-candles, and EV, then instantly calculate the ideal camera exposure using ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. Use precise spot metering, average metering, exposure compensation, histogram, waveform, false color, and zebra tools to better understand every lighting situation. Professional Light Metering Live lux and foot-candle measurement EV and EV100 calculations Spot, average, center-weighted, and multi-zone metering Exposure lock and compensation Custom calibration profiles Measurement stability and confidence indicators Photography & Video Tools ISO, aperture, and shutter calculator Exposure triangle Histogram Waveform monitor False color Zebra exposure display Zone System Lighting ratio calculator Color temperature estimation ND & Long Exposure ND filter calculator Long exposure calculator Shutter speed conversion Optical density calculations Reciprocity calculator for film photography Lighting Analysis Measure key, fill, rim, and background lighting Calculate lighting ratios Create lighting measurement maps Analyze lighting uniformity Save measurements with notes and photos Professional Workflow Measurement history Project-based measurement sessions Photo and EXIF analysis Custom reference profiles CSV, JSON, PDF, and image export iCloud synchronization Apple Watch companion Home Screen widgets Apple Shortcuts support Designed with a clean, modern iOS interface, Light Meter gives photographers, cinematographers, filmmakers, lighting technicians, students, and creators a powerful set of tools for understanding light and making better exposure decisions. Note: Camera-based lux measurements are estimates and can vary by device, scene, and calibration. For professional or compliance-critical measurements, use a calibrated external light sensor. The App offers two subscription options: -$3.99 Monthly -$34.99 Yearly Prices may vary by location. Privacy Policy: https://privacy.vanlangapps.com Terms of Use: https://tos.vanlangapps.com Should you choose to upgrade to a Pro subscription, payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. You may cancel automatic renewal and manage your subscription by selecting Manage App Subscriptions in your iTunes Account settings and selecting the subscription you want to modify. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a Pro subscription, where applicable.

About

Lightme

This app helps analog photographers meticulously track their film rolls, shots, and development processes. It allows for detailed logging of gear and consumables, with features for data visualization and export. Users can also manage film holders and add post-development notes with photos of final results.

Highlights
  • Log film rolls, shots, and development
  • Track gear and consumables
  • Data visualization with graphs/histograms
  • Data export in JSON/CSV formats
  • Manage large format film holders
  • Post-development notes with photos
Features
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Lightme - Logbook is a clean and powerful tool to record and keep track of your rolls, shots, developments, and all the gear that revolves around shooting film — from 35mm to medium and large format. The idea behind it is simple: logging a shot should take seconds, not steal time from actually shooting. Lightme pairs a beautiful, immediate interface with enough depth and flexibility to fit any workflow, whether you shoot a couple of rolls a year or fill several large format holders in an afternoon. LOGGING, EFFORTLESSLY • Log a shot in seconds: aperture, shutter speed, focal length, filters, bellows correction, measured EV, notes and more • Log straight from your wrist with the companion Apple Watch app, with Siri and Shortcuts, or from the home screen and lock screen widgets • Together with the Lightme Lightmeter app, your meter readings can prefill a new shot automatically • Every shot can carry a location and address, a preview photo, and later its final scan, plus a star rating ROLLS, SHEETS AND DEVELOPMENTS • Track rolls from loading to unloading, with film stocks from a growing database and a processing pipeline: waiting for development, off to the lab, back from the lab, to be scanned, scanned • Keep detailed development notes — developer, dilution, time, temperature, agitation — for rolls and single sheets alike, including push/pull (N+ / N-) development • Add post-development notes and a photo of the final result to rolls, sheets and individual shots YOUR GEAR, ORGANIZED • Cameras and lenses with nicknames, formats (including custom formats you define), pinhole and bellows flags, custom shutter speeds and selectable shutter step sizes • Roll film backs and lens filters with their exposure compensation • Film holders and backs can be marked as compatible with specific cameras, and everything is searchable from a single bar LARGE FORMAT, COVERED • Keep track of your film holders with three states — unloaded, loaded and exposed — always knowing which film is inside each one • Group holders together and follow every sheet from exposure through development INSIGHTS FROM YOUR DATA • Build and save custom queries, filtering by date (fixed or rolling windows), camera, lens, film stock, format, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, focal length and notes • Visualize results with histograms — by camera, lens, film stock, shutter speed, aperture, focal length, ISO, format, rating or hour of the day — alongside aggregate stats like mean aperture and average exposure • Save the queries you use most and re-run them anytime YOUR DATA, YOURS • Everything syncs privately through iCloud across your iPhone and iPad • Export any selection of data as CSV or JSON, or as a beautifully formatted PDF with customizable columns and a contact-sheet mode, bundled with your images in a single ZIP • Batch-write shooting metadata (EXIF) onto your scans — for a whole roll at once, or by matching files from the Files app • Viewing and exporting your data is free, forever; adding and editing is unlocked with a one-time purchase or a subscription AND MORE • Full-text search, favourites and an archive to keep things tidy • Available in English, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Simplified Chinese • A roadmap of what's coming next lives right in the app — new very cool features are on the way :) If you have any suggestion or issue, write me at lightme.apps@gmail.com Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Light Meter4 screens
Lightme4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightme at 75% against Light Meter's 30%. Lightme also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 71 months). Light Meter's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Lightme sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lightme holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 103 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Light Meter's written reviews are positive against 75% of Lightme's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Light Meter ships an update every 71 months, Lightme every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Light Meter versus Lightme: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLight MeterLightme
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (31 ratings)4.8 (103 ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.5% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings31103 — better
Update frequencyEvery 71 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTu Anh DoGiuseppe Bertolini

Customer experience

Light Meter

All ratings31 ratings
Positive38.7%
Neutral6.5%
Negative54.8%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive29.5%
Neutral8.2%
Negative62.3%

Lightme

All ratings102 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Light Meter

Subscriptions2
  • Light Meter Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Light Meter Pro Yearly$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lighte Meter Pro Lifetime$79.99
8 purchases

Lightme

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Cappuccino7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Focaccia Barese7 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • Spaghetti Carbonara7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Homemade Pizza party7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time4
  • A smile :)Free
  • Box of Prosecco$59.99
  • Fuel for my '90s camper$119.99
Show 1 more
  • Terme for two$239.99

Questions

Is Light Meter free?
Light Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lightme free?
Lightme is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Light Meter or Lightme?
Lightme is rated higher. Light Meter averages 2.5 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Lightme averages 4.8 from 103 ratings.
Do Light Meter or Lightme have ads?
Neither Light Meter nor Lightme shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Light Meter or Lightme?
Light Meter ships an update every 71 months, and Lightme every 2 weeks. Most recently, Light Meter was updated on October 26, 2026 and Lightme on October 24, 2026.

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