Comparison

Thunderstorm for Hue vs Thunderstorm simulation

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Thunderstorm for Hue

Create immersive thunderstorm experiences with your Philips Hue lights. Customize rain and lightning effects, sounds, and background ambiance for a personalized storm show. Perfect for relaxation or adding atmosphere.

Highlights
  • Simulate various thunderstorm intensities
  • Customize rain and lightning effects
  • Adjust rain and thunder sounds
  • Control light colors and brightness
  • Set background ambient sounds
  • Manual lightning control
  • Sleep timer with recurring cycles
Read full description

Summon a thunderstorm light show using your Philips Hue lights. Watch your lights pulse and flash to the sounds of a storm.* *Hue Bridge or Hue Bridge Pro required THUNDERSTORMS • Strong Thunderstorm — Heavy rain with frequent lightning and thunder nearby Lights pulse quickly to the sound of heavy rain. Booming sounds of thunder accompany bright flashes of light. • Normal Thunderstorm — Steady rain with a full range of lightning and thunder Lights pulse to the sound of rain. The sound of thunder can be heard from various distances. The closer the lightning, the louder the sound, and the brighter the flashes of light! • Weak Thunderstorm — Light rain with occasional lightning and thunder far off Lights pulse slowly to the sound of light rain. Dim flashes of light are followed by soft sounds of thunder. • Passing Thunderstorms — Rain and lightning intensity changes as the storms pass Lights pulse and flash at different rates to correspond with the current strength of the storm. SETTINGS Sky • Change the base color and brightness of your lights Rain • Toggle rain sound effects • Change rain audio: Default, Heavy, Steady, Light, On Tin Roof • Change rain volume • Toggle rain light effects • Change rain pulse rate: Default, Slow, Medium, Fast • Target lights for rain light effects • Change rain transition effects: Pulse, Fade Quickly, Fade Slowly • Change color and brightness of rain light effects Lightning/Thunder • Toggle thunder sound effects • Change thunder volume • Change delay lightning (Wireless audio delay offset) • Toggle delay thunder • Toggle lightning light effects • Target lights for lightning light effects • Change lightning transition effects: Random, Flicker, Flash, Pulse, Fade Quickly, Fade Slowly • Change lightning/thunder occurrence: Default, Never, Occasional, Normal, Frequent, Unreal • Change color and max brightness of lightning light effects Passing Thunderstorms • Change starting storm for Passing Thunderstorms: Weak, Normal, Strong • Change cycle time for Passing Thunderstorms: 15m, 30m, 60m Background Sounds • Toggle background sounds: Birds, Cicadas, Crickets, Frogs • Change background sounds volume General • Change default end state: On, Off, Revert • Change sleep end state: On, Off, Revert • Select mode to automatically start when app opens • Choose time to automatically stop selected mode • Choose time to automatically restart selected mode when sleep timer ends, enabling recurring cycle LIGHTS / GROUPS Select one or more lights for your thunderstorm light show on the Lights/Groups tab. Choose a group that you set up using the Philips Hue app, or create a new zone in the Thunderstorm for Hue app. To edit a zone in the list, swipe the item to the left and tap the pencil icon. When you add, remove, or change lights, pull down the list to refresh. ADDITIONAL FEATURES • Lightning on Demand — Start a storm and utilize the lightning buttons at the bottom of the screen for manual control. • Sleep Timer — Set a timer complemented with an audio fade-out feature. Choose the state of your lights after the timer ends with the Sleep End State setting. • Bluetooth and AirPlay Support — Connect to Bluetooth speakers directly, or connect to speakers with AirPlay using the Control Center. Adjust the Delay Light FX setting to offset any wireless audio delay. Please contact me at support@thunderstorm.scottdodson.dev if you experience any issues. I'd love to hear your thoughts and appreciate you taking the time to rate and review the app. I want to continue to improve Thunderstorm for Hue and create a great experience for you and future users. Thank you! —Scott

About

Thunderstorm simulation

Experience the power of storms with this simulator. Create lightning with a tap, control rain and wind, or let the app run in automatic mode for a relaxing visual and auditory experience. Choose from three atmospheric locations.

Highlights
  • Create lightning with touch
  • Realistic thunder and rain sounds
  • Automatic storm simulation mode
  • Control rain and wind
  • Three scenic locations
  • Ideal for relaxation and meditation
Features
Read full description

This app is a simulator in which you create lightning with just a tap of your finger on the screen, along with realistic sounds of thunder and rain in the background. In automatic mode, the app itself simulates lightning and rain - all you have to do is watch! How to play: - Choose one of three locations (sunset, misty forest, night coast) - Tap on the screen and create lightnings - Control the rain, wind and owl sounds by tapping the corresponding icons at the bottom of the screen. - Turn on automatic mode - the button on the top right - and just admire the beauty of nature without pressing anything. Features: - Simple and intuitive interface - Ideal for relaxation and meditation - Realistic visual lightning effects and quality thunder and rain sounds. Attention: The application is created for entertainment and does not cause any harm! Enjoy the game.

Screenshots

Thunderstorm for Hue4 screens
Thunderstorm simulation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Thunderstorm simulation at Free against Thunderstorm for Hue's $2.99. Thunderstorm for Hue's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months). On review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Thunderstorm simulation is free to download; Thunderstorm for Hue costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thunderstorm for Hue ships an update every 3 months, Thunderstorm simulation every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Thunderstorm for Hue versus Thunderstorm simulation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThunderstorm for HueThunderstorm simulation
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating—4.5 (27 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—27 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB10 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperScott DodsonYaroslav Novytskyi

Customer experience

Thunderstorm for Hue

Written reviews44 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral15.9%
Negative29.5%

Thunderstorm simulation

All ratings27 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Thunderstorm for Hue

No in-app purchases

None

Thunderstorm simulation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Thunderstorm for Hue free?
Thunderstorm for Hue costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Thunderstorm simulation free?
Thunderstorm simulation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Thunderstorm for Hue or Thunderstorm simulation have ads?
Thunderstorm simulation shows ads; Thunderstorm for Hue does not.
Which is updated more often, Thunderstorm for Hue or Thunderstorm simulation?
Thunderstorm for Hue ships an update every 3 months, and Thunderstorm simulation every 7 months. Most recently, Thunderstorm for Hue was updated on September 23, 2026 and Thunderstorm simulation on September 12, 2026.

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