Comparison

CloudSpotter vs Clear Outside

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

Head to head
About

CloudSpotter

Explore the sky and identify 58 cloud formations and optical effects with expert insights and user-submitted photos. Build your personal cloud collection and get community feedback on your spottings.

Highlights
  • Identify 58 cloud formations and optical effects
  • Expert text from the Cloud Appreciation Society
  • Build a personal collection of spottings
  • Community verification of spottings
  • View new spottings from users worldwide
  • Access 'Cloud-a-Days' with curated content
Features
Read full description

Discover the amazing world of clouds with your pocket guide to the wonders of the sky and have your spottings verified as you build your own collection of clouds.  Learn how to spot 58 different cloud formations and optical effects, from the common ones like Cumulus clouds and rainbows to rare ones like the fleeting fluctus cloud or the hard to spot circumzenithal arc. Learn what makes each formation special with expert text from the Cloud Appreciation Society and stunning reference photographs by our app users around the world. Build up your Collection of spottings and gain CloudSpotter Stars as you do so. Our innovative tools will help you decide what type of clouds or optical effects you’ve spotted. You will hear back from the rest of the community whether they think you got your spotting right. You can see New Spottings by other users around the world and say (with our help) if you think they got theirs right. Becoming an expert cloudspotter has never been easier – or more fun! And if you join the Cloud Appreciation Society through CloudSpotter or you’re already a subscribing member, you’ll be able to access your Cloud-a-Days each morning. These feature amazing sky photographs by our members, explanations of the clouds featured, inspiring sky quotations, and even examples of great clouds in art. With CloudSpotter, looking up will never be the same again! Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Clear Outside

Get detailed, reliable weather forecasts specifically for astronomers, focusing on cloud cover. Track astronomical events like moon and sun times, darkness periods, and ISS passes. Save multiple locations for quick access to crucial data.

Highlights
  • Seven-day hourly cloud cover forecasts
  • Regular weather data (wind, rain, temperature)
  • Moon and sun rise/set times
  • Civil/nautical/astronomical darkness periods
  • ISS pass-over information
  • Save and manage multiple locations
Features
Read full description

Reliable weather forecasts for astronomers with an emphasis on cloud cover. Key Features Weather Forecasts • Seven day hourly forecasts, updated hourly • Low, medium, high and total cloud cover • Regular weather data (wind, rain, frost, temperature, dew point, etc) • Covers daytime too - ideal for solar observers and imagers Astronomical Information • Moon rise/set times and phase • Sun rise/set and transit times • Civil/nautical/astronomical darkness periods • International Space Station (ISS) pass-over information with precise timing for your location Location Management • Set and save your home location for quick access • Add locations manually or use location services for automatic positioning • Search for locations worldwide • Save multiple favourite locations for easy switching • All location data stored locally on your device Why Clearoutside? Updated hourly, because frequent updates matter! Often the clear spell between showers provides excellent seeing, and 30 minutes under a clear sky with a grab-and-go telescope is pure gold. Our favourite feature? The ISS pass-over information is precisely calculated for your location and displayed alongside cloud forecasts, making it easier than ever to catch the station overhead. No cutesy graphics - just detailed, reliable weather data presented clearly for serious observers. We've had a lot of fun building and testing Clear Outside and are keen to develop it further. If you find it useful or have suggestions, please let us know!

Screenshots

CloudSpotter4 screens
Clear Outside3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Clear Outside at none against CloudSpotter's 2. Clear Outside also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and review sentiment (71% vs 49%). CloudSpotter's advantage is ratings volume (36 vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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. CloudSpotter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Clear Outside asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Clear Outside holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of CloudSpotter's written reviews are positive against 71% of Clear Outside's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CloudSpotter ships an update every 3 weeks, Clear Outside every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
CloudSpotter versus Clear Outside: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCloudSpotterClear Outside
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (36 ratings)4.2 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews48.7% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings36 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCloud Appreciation LtdFirst Light Optics

Customer experience

CloudSpotter

All ratings36 ratings
Positive61.1%
Neutral16.7%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive48.7%
Neutral23.1%
Negative28.2%

Clear Outside

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

CloudSpotter

Subscriptions2
  • CAS Membership (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • CAS Membership (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
None

Clear Outside

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CloudSpotter free?
CloudSpotter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Clear Outside free?
Clear Outside is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CloudSpotter or Clear Outside?
Clear Outside is rated higher. CloudSpotter averages 3.8 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Clear Outside averages 4.2 from 10 ratings.
Do CloudSpotter or Clear Outside have ads?
Neither CloudSpotter nor Clear Outside shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CloudSpotter or Clear Outside?
CloudSpotter ships an update every 3 weeks, and Clear Outside every 2 weeks. Most recently, CloudSpotter was updated on November 11, 2026 and Clear Outside on November 9, 2026.

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