# Storm Distance Tracker vs Thunderly

The clearest difference is rating: Thunderly at 4.3 against Storm Distance Tracker's 3.7. Thunderly also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Storm Distance Tracker sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Thunderly asks for nothing beyond the download.

Thunderly holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thunderly has 2.6K ratings behind it against 101, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Storm Distance Tracker's written reviews are positive against 58% of Thunderly's.

Storm Distance Tracker ships an update every 7 months, Thunderly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Storm Distance Tracker | Thunderly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (101 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storm-distance-tracker/id1123064491/reviews) | **[4.3 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunderly/id1341334743/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 101 | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **57.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 31 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DOUBLE U s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331787042) | [Jan Plesek](https://appshunter.io/developer/579661449) |

## What reviewers say

### Storm Distance Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storm-distance-tracker/id1123064491)

Measure the distance to a storm by timing the interval between seeing lightning and hearing thunder. This tool uses the difference in the speed of light and sound to provide an estimated distance.

**Highlights:** Calculate storm distance, Uses lightning and thunder timing, Calculates based on speed of light and sound, Simple tap interface

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |


### Thunderly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunderly/id1341334743)

Visualize real-time lightning strikes globally on an interactive map. Explore weather data like clouds and precipitation, and measure distances to storms. You can even simulate lightning flashes with your camera.

**Highlights:** Real-time global lightning map, Accurate day/night cycle, Real-time clouds and precipitation layers, Lightning history layer (last hour), Zoomable map detail, Storm distance measurement, Simulated lightning flashes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Awesome app
- 🌩️ Great for tracking storms
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 🔊 Realistic sound effects
- 🌍 Global coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔌 App not working/functional
- 🕰️ App no longer updated
- 🔇 Sound/vibration issues
- 📱 Compatibility problems on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Globe not rendering properly
- Lightning data not updating in real-time
- Incorrect lightning strike detection

**Requested features**

- Add ability to track past lightning strikes
- Implement distance/location-based alerts
- Include weather data and radar
- Add support for landscape mode and iPad
- Provide more customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Storm Distance Tracker free?

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

### Is Thunderly free?

Thunderly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Storm Distance Tracker or Thunderly?

Thunderly is rated higher. Storm Distance Tracker averages 3.7 out of 5 from 101 ratings, while Thunderly averages 4.3 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do Storm Distance Tracker or Thunderly have ads?

Storm Distance Tracker shows ads; Thunderly does not.

### Which is updated more often, Storm Distance Tracker or Thunderly?

Storm Distance Tracker ships an update every 7 months, and Thunderly every 3 weeks. Most recently, Storm Distance Tracker was updated on September 9, 2026 and Thunderly on September 26, 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.*