# Lightning Alarm vs Flash Weather

The clearest difference is ads: Flash Weather at none against Lightning Alarm's shown. Flash Weather also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and chart position (#164 vs unranked). Lightning Alarm's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 65%) and ratings volume (890 vs 105). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lightning Alarm sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year and Flash Weather sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Lightning Alarm against 4.4 for Flash Weather. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Alarm has 890 ratings behind it against 105, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Lightning Alarm's written reviews are positive against 65% of Flash Weather's.

Lightning Alarm ships an update every 2 months, Flash Weather fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightning Alarm | Flash Weather |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (890 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-alarm/id1015876499/reviews)** | [4.4 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flash-weather-future-radar/id6462927563/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **890** | 105 |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 64.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#164** |
| Size | 79 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Infoplaza BV](https://appshunter.io/developer/419311197) | [Flash Scientific Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703653310) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightning Alarm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-alarm/id1015876499)

Receive timely notifications about approaching thunderstorms and lightning strikes in your vicinity. This app provides accurate lightning detection and displays real-time information on a map, ensuring safety during outdoor activities.

**Highlights:** Real-time lightning detection, Approaching storm notifications, Lightning distance display, Map view of lightning strikes, Textual storm information, Push message alerts

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lightning Alarm Premium | $2.99 | per year |
| 1 month ad free | $0.99 | one-time |
| 3 months ad free | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 year ad free | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐️ Excellent app
- 👍 Works great
- 🚀 Accurate and precise
- 🔔 Helpful notifications
- 🌩️ Tracks lightning effectively

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes or freezes
- ⚠️ Inaccurate or unreliable
- 🔍 Difficult to set location
- 🔢 Metric units not preferred

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working
- Map tiles not loading properly
- App crashing on launch

**Requested features**

- Option to switch between miles and kilometers
- Add multiple locations to track
- Improve map visuals and details
- Customizable alert radius


### Flash Weather

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flash-weather-future-radar/id6462927563)

**Currently charting:** #164 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

This app uses advanced algorithms and deep learning to predict lightning strikes before they happen. It provides real-time and future radar, smart push notifications, and heat stress forecasting for outdoor safety. Get hourly and 7-day forecasts for temperature, precipitation, and more.

**Highlights:** Predictive lightning alerts, Live Activities on Lock Screen, Future radar up to 18 hours, Smart push notifications, Heat and WBGT forecasting, 7-day hourly and daily forecasts

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Flash Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Flash Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightning Alarm free?

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

### Is Flash Weather free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lightning Alarm or Flash Weather?

Lightning Alarm is rated higher. Lightning Alarm averages 4.5 out of 5 from 890 ratings, while Flash Weather averages 4.4 from 105 ratings.

### Do Lightning Alarm or Flash Weather have ads?

Lightning Alarm shows ads; Flash Weather does not.

### Which is updated more often, Lightning Alarm or Flash Weather?

Lightning Alarm ships an update every 2 months, and Flash Weather fortnightly. Most recently, Lightning Alarm was updated on November 6, 2026 and Flash Weather on November 7, 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.*