# Astrospheric vs Solar Weather

The clearest difference is price: Astrospheric at Free against Solar Weather's $3.99. Astrospheric also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (484 vs 28). Solar Weather's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Astrospheric is free to download; Solar Weather costs $3.99 up front. Astrospheric sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Solar Weather asks for nothing beyond the download.

Astrospheric holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astrospheric has 484 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Astrospheric's written reviews are positive against 80% of Solar Weather's.

Astrospheric ships an update every 2 weeks, Solar Weather monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astrospheric | Solar Weather |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (484 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrospheric/id1166046863/reviews)** | [4.4 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-weather-space-forecast/id6541757120/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **484** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | **86.8% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#92** | #196 |
| Size | 39 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Fiordalis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166046862) | [Aleksandr Balyberdin](https://appshunter.io/developer/336185043) |

## What reviewers say

### Astrospheric

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

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Grossing · Weather, #126 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


### Solar Weather

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-weather-space-forecast/id6541757120)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Paid · Weather (US App Store)

Track real-time solar activity and get accurate space weather forecasts. View detailed Sun animations, aurora predictions, and receive push notifications for significant space events. Data is sourced from NOAA and NASA for enthusiasts and the curious.

**Highlights:** Live UV solar animations, Coronagraph views, Aurora map and forecast, Kp index and solar wind data, Push notifications for space events, Detailed Sun exploration, Home and Lock Screen widgets

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astrospheric free?

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

### Is Solar Weather free?

Solar Weather costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Astrospheric or Solar Weather?

Astrospheric is rated higher. Astrospheric averages 4.8 out of 5 from 484 ratings, while Solar Weather averages 4.4 from 28 ratings.

### Do Astrospheric or Solar Weather have ads?

Neither Astrospheric nor Solar Weather shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astrospheric or Solar Weather?

Astrospheric ships an update every 2 weeks, and Solar Weather monthly. Most recently, Astrospheric was updated on November 6, 2026 and Solar Weather on November 4, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Astrospheric or Solar Weather?

Astrospheric currently peaks at #92 in the App Store charts, and Solar Weather at #196. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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