# UV Today vs Sunbeam

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: UV Today at none against Sunbeam's 2. UV Today also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Sunbeam's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 5 months) and chart position (#194 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sunbeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. UV Today asks for nothing beyond the download.

UV Today ships an update every 5 months, Sunbeam every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UV Today | Sunbeam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-uv-index-tracker/id1448601833/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 69.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#194** |
| Size | 4 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Guilleminot](https://appshunter.io/developer/1185234015) | [Electric Acorn Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890746620) |

## What reviewers say

### UV Today

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uv-today/id1222279873)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sunbeam

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

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

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, iPhone Duo support

**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 UV Today free?

UV Today is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sunbeam free?

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

### Do UV Today or Sunbeam have ads?

Neither UV Today nor Sunbeam shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UV Today or Sunbeam?

UV Today ships an update every 5 months, and Sunbeam every 4 weeks. Most recently, UV Today was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sunbeam on November 3, 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.*