# Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite vs Lightning Tracker‎

The clearest difference is price: Lightning Tracker‎ at Free against Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite's $1.99. Lightning Tracker‎ also leads on ratings volume (177 vs 2). Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 8%) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). On rating and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Lightning Tracker‎ is free to download; Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite costs $1.99 up front. Lightning Tracker‎ sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite against 4.4 for Lightning Tracker‎. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Tracker‎ has 177 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite's written reviews are positive against 8% of Lightning Tracker‎'s.

Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite ships an update every 3 weeks, Lightning Tracker‎ every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite | Lightning Tracker‎ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instant-noaa-alerts-3d-elite/id1082580302/reviews)** | [4.4 (177 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id6670211416/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **177** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 8.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 13 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jufen Chang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1075589996) | [Going Merry LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1820776999) |

## What reviewers say

### Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instant-noaa-alerts-3d-elite/id1082580302)

Receive real-time NOAA weather alerts and view 3D radar imagery. This app integrates the latest Apple MapKit features with NOAA data for comprehensive weather tracking across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** Real-time NOAA weather alerts, 3D NOAA radar imagery, Interactive 3D map view, Alert filtering by category, Apple Watch integration, Universal Purchase for iOS, Watch OS, Apple TV

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Lightning Tracker‎

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id6670211416)

Monitor real-time lightning strikes on a map with detailed information like time and distance. Receive background notifications for nearby activity and customize your detection radius. View current weather conditions alongside lightning alerts.

**Highlights:** Real-time lightning strike map, Strike details (time, distance), Background monitoring and notifications, Customizable detection radius (1-50 miles), Current weather conditions view, Lightning strike expiration (15 minutes)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Yearly | $6.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite free?

Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lightning Tracker‎ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite or Lightning Tracker‎?

Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite is rated higher. Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Lightning Tracker‎ averages 4.4 from 177 ratings.

### Do Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite or Lightning Tracker‎ have ads?

Lightning Tracker‎ shows ads; Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite or Lightning Tracker‎?

Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lightning Tracker‎ every 4 months. Most recently, Instant NOAA Alerts 3D Elite was updated on November 2, 2026 and Lightning Tracker‎ on November 4, 2026.

---

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