Comparison

Aurora Forecast 极光预测 vs Aurora Forecast

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

Head to head
About

Aurora Forecast 极光预测

Track aurora activity with detailed forecasts and maps for both hemispheres. Choose your observing site or explore preset locations globally. Understand forecast timing and local sky conditions for the best viewing experience.

Highlights
  • Aurora activity forecasts
  • Northern and southern hemisphere maps
  • Customizable observing site selection
  • 247 preset global locations
  • Local sky brightness check
  • English and Simplified Chinese language support
Features
Read full description

Explore aurora activity with forecasts for your observing site and maps of both hemispheres. Aurora Forecast uses NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center OVATION data to show short-term aurora model forecasts for specific locations, alongside northern and southern hemisphere images. CHOOSE YOUR OBSERVING SITE Select a preset city or enter the latitude and longitude of your actual observing location. Your chosen site has its own card for quick access. Coordinates stay on your device; the app downloads the global forecast grid and queries it locally. BROWSE 247 PRESET LOCATIONS Explore 6 city observing sites and 241 country or region representative points. Locations remain listed even when the model probability is zero. A representative point describes only that coordinate, not an entire country or region. UNDERSTAND FORECAST TIMING View observation and forecast validity times in your device's time zone. Probabilities are hidden when data expires or timestamps are invalid. The app attempts regular updates while the forecast page is visible and the app is active. You can also refresh manually. CHECK LOCAL SKY BRIGHTNESS See whether your observing site is in daylight, twilight or night at the forecast validity time, based on its coordinates and the sun's position. VIEW BOTH HEMISPHERES Browse separate northern and southern hemisphere aurora maps. Tap an image to open it and pinch to zoom. Refer to each image for its forecast time and color legend. ENGLISH AND SIMPLIFIED CHINESE Follow your system language or choose English or Simplified Chinese from the in-app language menu. Your choice is saved and takes effect immediately. PLEASE NOTE Model probability is not your chance of seeing the aurora. Clouds, moonlight, light pollution and terrain are not assessed. A model value of 0% does not rule out distant aurora. Grid interpolation makes location queries smoother but does not improve the original model's resolution. Consider the local weather and actual sky conditions. Forecasts and images require an internet connection and update independently. Check their respective validity times. Data source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.

About

Aurora Forecast

This app provides clear, plain-language forecasts and real-time alerts for the Northern Lights. It interprets complex space weather data to tell you if it's worth looking up tonight and notifies you when the aurora is likely overhead.

Highlights
  • Plain-language aurora chance reading
  • Real-time alerts for likely overhead aurora
  • 3-day Kp outlook and solar-wind snapshot
  • Dark aurora map with live oval display
  • Aurora sighting log and photo diary
  • Plain-English explainers for aurora phenomena
Features
Read full description

The night the aurora finally reaches your sky, you don't want to hear about it the next morning. Aurora Forecast: Borealis tells you — in plain language — whether it's worth stepping outside tonight, and alerts you the moment the lights are likely overhead and the sky is dark where you are. If you've ever chased the northern lights, you know the routine: a dozen browser tabs, a "Kp" number that means nothing without a decoder ring, three apps that disagree, and the quiet fear that the best display of the year happened while you were inside. Most forecasts hand you raw space-weather data and leave you to guess what it means for where you're standing. Borealis does the interpreting for you. IS IT WORTH LOOKING UP TONIGHT? • One clear "chance overhead" reading for your exact location — not a generic global number • An honest one-line verdict that accounts for darkness and moonlight, not just Kp • The numbers that matter, in plain sight: Kp, how far south the oval reaches, darkness, the moon • A "next best night" hint so you know when it's worth planning around REAL FORECASTS, NOT RAW NUMBERS • A 3-day Kp outlook and a live solar-wind snapshot • Built on live NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center data and the OVATION aurora model • Unlock the extended hourly probability and 27-day outlook with Pro GET THE ALERT, NOT THE REGRET (PRO) • A push the moment the aurora is likely overhead and your sky is dark • Set your own probability threshold — only get woken up when it's genuinely worth it • A live preview that shows whether tonight's conditions would alert you SEE HOW FAR SOUTH THE LIGHTS REACH (PRO) • A dark aurora map centered on you, with the OVATION oval drawn live • Watch the band push south toward your latitude in real time • Share a snapshot of the map in one tap KEEP AN AURORA DIARY (PRO) • Log every sighting with the date, place, Kp and a photo • Location, Kp and chance are filled in for you automatically • Export and share your whole record LEARN TO READ — AND SHOOT — THE SKY • Plain-English explainers for Kp, the auroral oval, OVATION, Bz, substorms and more • Starter camera settings for your first night shoot, so the lights actually make it into the photo BUILT FOR REAL LIFE • Aurora chasers who'd rather sleep than stake out a dead sky • People who just moved north and refuse to miss their first winter • Travelers in Iceland, Tromsø, Fairbanks or Yellowknife with a night or two to get lucky • Night photographers who want the shot, not the all-nighter • Anyone tired of three apps that never agree PRIVATE BY DEFAULT No account. No sign-up. Your sighting log and photos stay on your device, and Borealis uses your location only to work out your local forecast and alerts. AURORA PRO Aurora Pro unlocks alerts, the full map, the sighting log and the extended forecast. It's available as a weekly or annual subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase. • Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Your Apple ID is charged on confirmation and at each renewal • Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Stop refreshing five tabs and hoping. Let Borealis watch the sky for you — and tap you on the shoulder the night it's finally worth heading out. Download Aurora Forecast: Borealis and never sleep through the lights again.

Screenshots

Aurora Forecast 极光预测2 screens
Aurora Forecast4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Aurora Forecast 极光预测 at none against Aurora Forecast's 4. Aurora Forecast 极光预测 also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Aurora Forecast's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads 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

Both are free to download. Aurora Forecast sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Aurora Forecast 极光预测 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Aurora Forecast 极光预测 against 5.0 for Aurora Forecast. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aurora Forecast 极光预测 ships an update every 2 months, Aurora Forecast every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Aurora Forecast 极光预测 versus Aurora Forecast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAurora Forecast 极光预测Aurora Forecast
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer富成 郑Mobile Card Games & Travel Apps LLC

Customer experience

Aurora Forecast 极光预测

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Aurora Forecast

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Aurora Forecast 极光预测

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Aurora Forecast

Subscriptions2
  • Aurora Pro Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Aurora Pro Annual$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Aurora Pro Lifetime$24.99
  • Aurora Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Aurora Forecast 极光预测 free?
Aurora Forecast 极光预测 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aurora Forecast free?
Aurora Forecast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Aurora Forecast 极光预测 or Aurora Forecast?
Aurora Forecast 极光预测 and Aurora Forecast are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Aurora Forecast 极光预测 or Aurora Forecast have ads?
Neither Aurora Forecast 极光预测 nor Aurora Forecast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aurora Forecast 极光预测 or Aurora Forecast?
Aurora Forecast 极光预测 ships an update every 2 months, and Aurora Forecast every 11 days. Most recently, Aurora Forecast 极光预测 was updated on October 26, 2026 and Aurora Forecast on October 31, 2026.

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