# Astrospheric vs Sunbeam

Astrospheric and Sunbeam both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Astrospheric's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sunbeam's. Astrospheric also leads on chart position (#88 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 18.0). Sunbeam's advantage is ratings volume (1.7K vs 453). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Astrospheric sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Sunbeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 — 4.8 for Astrospheric against 4.7 for Sunbeam. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 453 and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Astrospheric's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sunbeam's.

Astrospheric ships an update every 3 weeks, Sunbeam every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astrospheric | Sunbeam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (453 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrospheric/id1166046863/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-uv-index-tracker/id1448601833/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 453 | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **87.7% of reviews** | 70.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#88** | — |
| Size | 47 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Fiordalis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166046862) | [Electric Acorn Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890746620) |

## What reviewers say

### Astrospheric

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrospheric/id1166046863)

**Currently charting:** #88 Top Grossing · Weather, #168 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

This app offers advanced weather forecasting and astronomical data for stargazers and astrophotographers. It provides detailed hourly forecasts, cloud and sky transparency reports, and alerts for celestial events. It also includes tools for astronomical societies and offline site setup.

**Highlights:** 84-hour hourly weather forecast, Ensemble cloud forecast, Kp index for Aurora, ISS flyover paths, Integrated smoke forecast, Sky and ground data, Rise and set times, Solar and Lunar eclipse data

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Astrospheric Pro Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Astrospheric Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Precision tool for astrophotography
- 🔍 Detailed weather forecasts
- ⭐ Accurate and reliable
- 💻 Comprehensive data and features
- 📊 Helpful for planning observing sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccurate forecasts
- 🔍 Missing some weather data (e.g. wind)
- 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🔌 Compatibility issues on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or not loading on some devices
- Inconsistent temperature and wind data

**Requested features**

- Notification system for clear skies
- Widgets for quick access to data
- More detailed transparency and seeing data
- Ability to flip east and west in the app


### Sunbeam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-uv-index-tracker/id1448601833)

This app provides real-time UV Index forecasts and personalized sun exposure tracking. It helps users avoid sunburn, monitor time spent in daylight, and estimate Vitamin D levels. Features include widgets, Apple Watch integration, and Apple Health syncing.

**Highlights:** Worldwide UV Index forecasts, Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets, Apple Watch app with complications, Apple Health integration, Personalized sunburn risk tracking, Live Activities for Lock Screen, Extended 10-day UV forecasts

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sunbeam Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Sunbeam Pro Annual | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate UV tracking
- 👍 Helpful for planning sun exposure
- 🌞 Useful for tanning and vitamin D generation
- 🔒 Respects user privacy
- 📊 Provides detailed hourly and daily UV forecasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and connectivity issues
- 📍 Difficulty setting custom location
- 🔋 High battery consumption for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Widget not working for some users
- UV data not updating correctly in certain locations
- Vitamin D tab not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Integration with Apple Health for better vitamin D tracking
- Customizable sun exposure timers and alarms
- Historical data and exposure tracking
- More detailed skin type and sunscreen recommendations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astrospheric free?

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

### Is Sunbeam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Astrospheric or Sunbeam?

Astrospheric is rated higher. Astrospheric averages 4.8 out of 5 from 453 ratings, while Sunbeam averages 4.7 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Astrospheric or Sunbeam have ads?

Neither Astrospheric nor Sunbeam shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astrospheric or Sunbeam?

Astrospheric ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sunbeam every 4 weeks. Most recently, Astrospheric was updated on September 23, 2026 and Sunbeam on September 24, 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.*