# Lghtmtr vs ZoneCalc

The clearest difference is rating: ZoneCalc at 5.0 against Lghtmtr's 4.5. ZoneCalc also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Lghtmtr's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium) and ratings volume (129 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lghtmtr sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ZoneCalc sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ZoneCalc holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lghtmtr has 129 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Lghtmtr ships an update every 4 months, ZoneCalc every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lghtmtr | ZoneCalc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lghtmtr/id956251190/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zonecalc-zone-system-meter/id6772102746/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **129** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 79.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 25 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.5** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Jacque](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164318048) | [Juergen Suk](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772102748) |

## What reviewers say

### Lghtmtr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lghtmtr/id956251190)

This app provides a minimalist light meter to help users determine ideal exposure settings for photography. It visually demonstrates the relationship between ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, making it intuitive for learning photographers.

**Highlights:** Minimalist light meter, Intuitive exposure settings, Visual feedback, Adjustable ISO, aperture, shutter speed, Camera profile customization, Scene reference with readings

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coffee tip | $4.99 | one-time |


### ZoneCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zonecalc-zone-system-meter/id6772102746)

This app assists photographers in precisely calculating exposure and tonal placement using Ansel Adams' Zone System. It offers features for metering, reciprocity correction, and development adjustments, with options for multi-point measurements and data export.

**Highlights:** Zone System exposure calculation, Multi-point metering, Reciprocity correction, Development adjustment recommendations, Film-specific development times, Calculation history and export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ZoneCalc Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lghtmtr free?

Lghtmtr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ZoneCalc free?

ZoneCalc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lghtmtr or ZoneCalc?

ZoneCalc is rated higher. Lghtmtr averages 4.5 out of 5 from 129 ratings, while ZoneCalc averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Lghtmtr or ZoneCalc have ads?

Neither Lghtmtr nor ZoneCalc shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lghtmtr or ZoneCalc?

Lghtmtr ships an update every 4 months, and ZoneCalc every 3 weeks. Most recently, Lghtmtr was updated on October 14, 2026 and ZoneCalc on October 12, 2026.

---

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