# Shady Side for Van Life — Sun and shade for your van

> Van life solar positioning tool for optimal sun and shade. (iPhone/iPad app by Kristin Corley.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shady-side-for-van-life/id6812135246 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Kristin Corley](https://appshunter.io/developer/6812135248)
- Category: Travel, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 4 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-09-24
- Data updated: 2026-10-15
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shady-side-for-van-life/id6812135246/reviews.md

## What is Shady Side for Van Life?

Which way should the van point?

Shady Side shows you when the sun will hit the sliding door of your van at your exact location, for whichever way you park. Turn the nose on the compass and watch the door's sun hours change. Then park the way you want: sun in the door on a cold morning, shade all afternoon on a hot one.

FREE
• Live compass with today's sun path
• When the sun comes in the door, to the minute, for your heading
• The van's shadow on the ground, so you can see which side has shade and when
• Built around real van dimensions (Ram ProMaster presets, or enter your own), so a high sun that only lights the outside wall doesn't count as sun in the door
• Awning option

PRO (one-time purchase, no subscription)
• Find heading: say when you want sun in the door, or shade, and it tells you where to point the nose
• Solar panels: best aim and tilt for a portable panel, set once or re-aimed morning, midday and afternoon
• Plan ahead: scrub to 7 AM tomorrow, next week, or the winter solstice before you pick a spot
• Sun by side: a sun and shade timeline for every face of the van

Everything is computed on your phone with the NOAA solar position equations. No account, no tracking, and it works with no signal.

Made by a full-time van dweller.

## Key features

- Live compass with sun path
- Sun exposure timing for sliding door
- Van shadow projection
- Customizable van dimensions
- Awning sun/shade planning
- Solar panel aiming and tilt
- Multi-day and seasonal sun planning

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shady Side Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Is Shady Side for Van Life safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Shady Side for Van Life.

## Is Shady Side for Van Life legit?

Shady Side for Van Life has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Shady Side for Van Life is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.

## Recent user reviews (4 of 4)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shady-side-for-van-life/id6812135246/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Excellent!

*2026-10-02*

This app is so helpful when I’m parking my rig! It really helps me dial in my angle for the morning sun to warm me, and to keep it out in the afternoon when it gets too hot.

### 5/5 — Very useful, intuitive, and easy to use!

*2026-10-01*

I used to jump on Google maps and approximate directions thinking about sun shine.

This app shows you precisely how the sun will travel and shine on your van throughout the day.

### 5/5 — Super neat to have on hand

*2026-09-28*

Love the features and ease of it all. Tells me everything I need to know to park perfectly for the day and enjoy optimal shade or get the best sunset!

### 5/5 — Omg yes! So handy

*2026-09-28*

This app is a must-have for van life travel. Knowing how to position so my door is on the shadiest side before setting up makes life so much easier. No more waking up to realize I parked the wrong way when I pulled into a spot the night before. Having to reload and relevel is one of my least favorite things. Saves a lot of time and headache.

## Frequently asked questions about Shady Side for Van Life

### What is Shady Side for Van Life?

Shady Side for Van Life helps you determine the best parking spot for your van by showing you where the sun will be throughout the day. It calculates sun exposure for your sliding door and casts shadows to show shaded areas.

### How does Shady Side for Van Life work?

The app uses your location and real van dimensions to compute the sun's path and its impact on your vehicle. You can see how turning your van affects sun exposure on different sides and for your sliding door.

### Is Shady Side for Van Life free?

Yes, the basic version of Shady Side for Van Life is free and includes features like a live compass and sun exposure timing for your door. Additional Pro features are available as a one-time purchase.

### What are the Pro features in Shady Side for Van Life?

The Pro version offers advanced features such as finding the ideal heading for desired sun or shade, optimizing solar panel aim and tilt, and planning sun exposure across all van sides for multiple days or seasons.

### Does Shady Side for Van Life require an internet connection?

No, Shady Side for Van Life computes all data on your phone using NOAA solar position equations. It works with no signal, making it ideal for remote travel.

### What devices does Shady Side for Van Life support?

Currently, Shady Side for Van Life is supported on iPhones. It was released on September 24, 2026, with the latest version being 1.1 updated on October 3, 2026.

### What is the age rating for Shady Side for Van Life?

Shady Side for Van Life has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. The app is developed by Kristin Corley, a full-time van dweller.

### How often is Shady Side for Van Life updated?

The app received its latest update on October 3, 2026, to version 1.1. This indicates a commitment to ongoing development and improvements.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.1 — 2026-10-03

- Metric units: choose centimeters and meters in Settings (picked automatically from your region)
- Clock times follow your phone's 12 or 24-hour setting
- Redeem a code: enter an offer code in Settings or on the Pro screen
- Compass diagnostics in Settings > Location, with a Restart compass button
- Small fixes

### 1.0 — 2026-09-24

No release notes.

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## Related topics

[shady side for van life](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/shady-side-for-van-life) · [van life parking](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/van-life-parking) · [van life trader](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/van-life-trader)

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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 2026-10-15.*