# Light Pollution Map vs SpaceWeatherLive

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SpaceWeatherLive at 53% against Light Pollution Map's 14%. SpaceWeatherLive also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Light Pollution Map's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light Pollution Map sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year and SpaceWeatherLive sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Light Pollution Map holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 239 and 189 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Light Pollution Map's written reviews are positive against 53% of SpaceWeatherLive's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Light Pollution Map ships an update every 3 weeks, SpaceWeatherLive every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light Pollution Map | SpaceWeatherLive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (239 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-pollution-map-dark-sky/id1200379779/reviews)** | [4.0 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceweatherlive/id1435501021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **239** | 189 |
| Positive reviews | 14.1% of reviews | **53.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #200 | **#144** |
| Size | 93 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dunbar Technology, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200379778) | [Parsec vzw](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435501020) |

## What reviewers say

### Light Pollution Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-pollution-map-dark-sky/id1200379779)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Discover optimal locations for stargazing and astrophotography with a detailed light pollution map. Get real-time alerts for celestial events like meteor showers and auroras, track the ISS, and access daily astronomy photos. Enhance your night sky observations with comprehensive tools and information.

**Highlights:** Interactive light pollution map, Aurora borealis live map and alerts, Meteor shower and super moon alerts, ISS tracker with live updates, Moon phases and information, Astronomy photo of the day

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version | $9.99 | per year |
| النسخة الاحترافية | $14.99 | per year |
| النسخة الاحترافية | $19.99 | per year |
| Pro Version Upgrade Discounted | $8.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clear detailed satellite views
- 🚀 Works with barely any signal
- 📊 Useful map with latest data
- 🌌 Helps with astrophotography

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on opening the map
- 🐛 Crashes after locating user's position
- 🔍 No legend for map colors
- 💰 Tries to get users to upgrade to premium

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening light pollution map
- App crashes after locating user's position
- Cloud coverage feature not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add Bortle rating information
- Improve cloud coverage feature
- Fix crashing issues


### SpaceWeatherLive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceweatherlive/id1435501021)

**Currently charting:** #144 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Track aurora and solar activity in real-time with detailed forecasts and historical data. Receive customizable push notifications for significant space weather events. Explore an extensive archive and learn from expert reports.

**Highlights:** Aurora and solar activity tracking, Real-time forecasts, Push notifications for space weather events, Dark mode for night use, Detailed graphs and reports, Extensive historical data archive, Beginner-friendly explanations

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-free - monthly package | $0.99 | per month |
| Ad-free - half-yearly package | $5.49 | per 6 months |
| Ad-free - yearly package | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent space weather information
- 🔍 Detailed and informative data
- 📚 Helpful tutorials and explanations
- 🌍 Useful for aurora chasers and enthusiasts
- 🤖 Comprehensive data from various sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Overwhelming amount of information
- 🔔 Too many notifications/alerts
- 💰 Ads becoming too intrusive
- 🔌 Notifications not always working
- 🤔 Confusing navigation at times

**Reported bugs**

- Video links not working
- Alerts disappearing after opening the app
- Inconsistent performance after updates
- Notification count not clearing properly

**Requested features**

- Customizable notification settings
- Dark mode option
- Location-based alerts
- Ability to track solar activity trends
- Integration with other weather/astronomy apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Light Pollution Map free?

Light Pollution Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SpaceWeatherLive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Light Pollution Map or SpaceWeatherLive?

Light Pollution Map is rated higher. Light Pollution Map averages 4.5 out of 5 from 239 ratings, while SpaceWeatherLive averages 4.0 from 189 ratings.

### Do Light Pollution Map or SpaceWeatherLive have ads?

SpaceWeatherLive shows ads; Light Pollution Map does not.

### Which is updated more often, Light Pollution Map or SpaceWeatherLive?

Light Pollution Map ships an update every 3 weeks, and SpaceWeatherLive every 4 months. Most recently, Light Pollution Map was updated on October 2, 2026 and SpaceWeatherLive on October 2, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Light Pollution Map or SpaceWeatherLive?

Light Pollution Map currently peaks at #200 in the App Store charts, and SpaceWeatherLive at #144. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*