# Aurora Forecast 3D vs Aurora Compass

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Aurora Compass at 80% against Aurora Forecast 3D's 33%. Aurora Compass also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.7) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). Aurora Forecast 3D's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aurora Compass sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Aurora Forecast 3D asks for nothing beyond the download.

Aurora Compass holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Aurora Forecast 3D's written reviews are positive against 80% of Aurora Compass's.

Aurora Forecast 3D ships an update every 2 months, Aurora Compass monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 19, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aurora Forecast 3D | Aurora Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-forecast-3d/id1266448783/reviews) | **[4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-compass/id6446504259/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1266448782) | [Otto Ranta-Ojala](https://appshunter.io/developer/1678149884) |

## What reviewers say

### Aurora Forecast 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-forecast-3d/id1266448783)

Visualize Earth in 3D and track the aurora borealis with real-time data and forecasts up to three days ahead. Includes an aurora compass, star maps, and satellite tracking.

**Highlights:** 3D Earth visualization, Real-time aurora oval tracking, Up to 3-day aurora forecasts, Aurora compass with Sun and Moon, 2.4 million star map, Satellite orbit calculations

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Aurora Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-compass/id6446504259)

This app provides aurora forecasts and alerts, helping users find the best conditions to see the northern or southern lights. It offers detailed space weather data, real-time geomagnetic activity, and a cloudiness filter for accurate predictions.

**Highlights:** Aurora alert notifications, Geomagnetic activity tracking, Aurora forecast map, Real-time aurora probability, Solar image animation, Cloudiness forecast, Darkness tool

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pastel Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Black and White Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pink Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Purple Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| IBM Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mint Color Palette | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Color Palette | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Color Palette | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aurora Forecast 3D free?

Aurora Forecast 3D is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Aurora Compass free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Aurora Forecast 3D or Aurora Compass?

Aurora Compass is rated higher. Aurora Forecast 3D averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Aurora Compass averages 4.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Aurora Forecast 3D or Aurora Compass have ads?

Neither Aurora Forecast 3D nor Aurora Compass shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aurora Forecast 3D or Aurora Compass?

Aurora Forecast 3D ships an update every 2 months, and Aurora Compass monthly. Most recently, Aurora Forecast 3D was updated on August 19, 2026 and Aurora Compass on September 10, 2026.

---

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