# Magic Hour

> Calculates sunrise/sunset 'magic hour' and moon phases for photographers. (iPhone/iPad app by Linda Byrket.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hour/id482426006 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Linda Byrket](https://appshunter.io/developer/482426309)
- Category: Utilities, Photo & Video
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.82/5 from 5,172 App Store ratings · 162 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.0 · 16 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2011-12-04
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hour/id482426006/reviews.md

## What is Magic Hour?

Magic Hour (also called golden hour) is the time of day around sunrise and sunset when the light is great for photography and cinematography. It is typically when the sun is between 6 degrees below the horizon to 6 degrees above. This sunlight is evenly dispersed and helps you create great pictures.
 
Magic Hour makes it easy for you to know when magic hour is coming and how much time you have left once it begins. The app takes your location along with the current day and calculates when magic hour will occur. If the weather forecast is available we give that to you as well.

What other light is cool to photograph in? The moon, of course. And you want a full moon for that. Our Moon Watch section lets you know the next moonrise and when the next full moon will appear. 
 
In addition to this, you can set up notifications on and before magic hour begins. And with our in-app purchase you can select locations other than your current one, view future magic hour times, and create calendar events for them.

Data that is used with the Magic Hour App (e.g. locations, notifications, calendar events, etc.) remain local to your device and are not transmitted nor remotely stored.

## Key features

- Magic hour time calculation
- Sunrise and sunset times
- Moonrise and full moon alerts
- Weather forecast integration
- Customizable notifications
- Location-based planning

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add Locations Ability | $0.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Magic Hour?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Great overview of the entire Magic Hour
- 👍 Fantastic in every way
- 👍 All the info you need to plan, especially for photographers
- 👍 Sleek and easy to use
- 👍 Perfect for photographers and cinematographers
- 👍 Extremely helpful, nice layout, perfect
- 👍 Simple, elegant, USEFUL

**Cons**

- ⏰ Time way off
- 🔍 Can't change location
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 💰 Forced in-app purchase
- 🔍 Can't see future dates anymore
- 🔍 Widget doesn't update
- 🐛 Keeps crashing
- 🔍 Can't determine magic hour at another location
- 🐛 App crashes

**Commonly reported bugs**

- 🐛 Time way off
- 🐛 Can't change location
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 🐛 Can't see future dates anymore
- 🐛 Widget doesn't update
- 🐛 Keeps crashing
- 🐛 Can't determine magic hour at another location
- 🐛 App crashes

**Most requested features**

- 💡 Moonrise notification
- 💡 Notification when magic hour ends
- 💡 Blue hour option
- 💡 Allow users to set their own background photo
- 💡 Ability to plan shoots in different locations
- 💡 Companion app for planning sunsets weeks in advance
- 💡 Custom alert tones

## Recent user reviews (10 of 162)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hour/id482426006/reviews.md

### 5/5 — .

*2026-07-24, version 1.9.2*

.

### 1/5 — I feel scammed

*2026-07-09, version 1.9.1*

I paid the .99¢ one time fee for unlocking locations and future dates. However when I go to add a location, it crashes each time. .99¢ is nothing, but it feels as if I was scammed where I paid a price and it doesn’t work.

### 5/5 — Used most days

*2026-06-29, version 1.9.1*

Ok such a simple good app. I use it as a widget and always know when it’s coming. Great for photo planning or just enjoying beautiful light.

### 5/5 — Need to know!

*2026-06-17, version 1.9.1*

I love this app because I need to know 30 minutes before the sunsets for my work. Thank you Magic Hour!

### 2/5 — Not easy to delete

*2026-05-23, version 1.9.1*

I’m sure it’s interesting to some, but my weather app tells me sunrise and sunset times. I don’t need all the extra. Currently, having difficulty canceling the app. Not in subscriptions on my phone, so extra hoops to jump.

### 5/5 — A great app for taking photographs.

*2026-05-23, version 1.9.1*

It’s hard to find a good app like this. This is one of them.

### 5/5 — Very useful app

*2026-04-08, version 1.9.1*

This app has been on my phone for a long time and I use it frequently, very useful!

### 5/5 — Wonderful App

*2026-03-29, version 1.9.1*

Simple, clean, and informative. Just beautiful. I use it frequently especially when journaling in the early morning. I’m not a photographer but still love this elegant app.

### 1/5 — Notifications don’t work

*2026-03-28, version 1.9.1*

Notifications originally world but haven’t worked in months.

### 1/5 — Opened once and kept crashing…

*2026-03-17, version 1.9.0*

Open once in fresh install, and then just crashing constantly, instant crash clicking the icon, reinstall didn’t resolve the problem.

## Frequently asked questions about Magic Hour

### What is Magic Hour?

Magic Hour is the period around sunrise and sunset when the light is ideal for photography and cinematography. This app calculates these times precisely for your location, helping you plan your shoots.

### Does Magic Hour have ads?

No, Magic Hour does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use, with optional in-app purchases for advanced features.

### How accurate is Magic Hour?

Magic Hour is highly rated at 4.8 stars from over 5,000 ratings, indicating strong user satisfaction with its accuracy. However, some user reviews mention occasional issues with time accuracy or location detection.

### What devices does Magic Hour support?

Magic Hour is available for iPhone and iPod devices. It was first released in 2011 and has been updated regularly, with the latest version being 1.9.1.

### Can I use Magic Hour without an internet connection?

The app uses your location to calculate magic hour times. While weather forecasts require an internet connection, the core magic hour calculations are likely available offline, though this is not explicitly stated.

### What features are unlocked with in-app purchases in Magic Hour?

The in-app purchase for Magic Hour allows you to select locations other than your current one, view future magic hour times, and create calendar events for them. This enhances planning capabilities for photographers on the go.

### How often is Magic Hour updated?

Magic Hour was last updated on March 17, 2026, indicating a commitment to ongoing development and maintenance. This suggests that bugs are addressed and features may be improved over time.

### What is the age rating for Magic Hour?

Magic Hour has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide audience. The app focuses on utility and information rather than content that would be inappropriate for younger users.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.9.2 — 2026-07-14

Bug fixes for new installs and purchases.

### 1.9.1 — 2026-03-17

Bug fixes for new features.

### 1.9.0 — 2026-03-16

Background features. You can now turn off the backgrounds for all the locations, or... you can replace them with your own that you may have taken at that location. We try our best to filter them by time and location. But feel free to clear those filters and use any photo you have in your gallery. Current location screen will always use the same photos regardless of where you are. We hope you like these features.

### 1.8.0 — 2026-01-20

Lock Widgets!

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 1.7.9 — 2026-01-13

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

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## Related topics

[app for golden hour times](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/app-for-golden-hour-times) · [magic hour](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/magic-hour) · [golden hour](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/golden-hour) · [golden hour app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/golden-hour-app) · [golden hour calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/golden-hour-calculator) · [blue hour](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/blue-hour) · [sunset alarm](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/sunset-alarm) · [golden hour one](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/golden-hour-one) · [photo ephemeris](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-ephemeris) · [golden hour widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/golden-hour-widget)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*