# Thunderly vs Lightning Tracker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Thunderly at none against Lightning Tracker's 1. Thunderly also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Lightning Tracker's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 58%). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lightning Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Thunderly asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Thunderly against 4.3 for Lightning Tracker. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.6K and 574 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Thunderly's written reviews are positive against 76% of Lightning Tracker's.

Thunderly ships an update every 3 weeks, Lightning Tracker every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thunderly | Lightning Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunderly/id1341334743/reviews) | [4.3 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id1473753714/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 574 |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | **75.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 113 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jan Plesek](https://appshunter.io/developer/579661449) | [Elecont LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/401533969) |

## What reviewers say

### Thunderly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunderly/id1341334743)

Visualize real-time lightning strikes globally on an interactive map. Explore weather data like clouds and precipitation, and measure distances to storms. You can even simulate lightning flashes with your camera.

**Highlights:** Real-time global lightning map, Accurate day/night cycle, Real-time clouds and precipitation layers, Lightning history layer (last hour), Zoomable map detail, Storm distance measurement, Simulated lightning flashes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Awesome app
- 🌩️ Great for tracking storms
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 🔊 Realistic sound effects
- 🌍 Global coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔌 App not working/functional
- 🕰️ App no longer updated
- 🔇 Sound/vibration issues
- 📱 Compatibility problems on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Globe not rendering properly
- Lightning data not updating in real-time
- Incorrect lightning strike detection

**Requested features**

- Add ability to track past lightning strikes
- Implement distance/location-based alerts
- Include weather data and radar
- Add support for landscape mode and iPad
- Provide more customization options


### Lightning Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id1473753714)

Visualize real-time lightning strikes across North and South America on a dynamic map. Receive predictive alerts for strike patterns and intensity, with estimated arrival times for your location. Monitor current and historical lightning activity to stay informed and protected.

**Highlights:** Live lightning map, Real-time strike visualization, Predictive lightning alerts, Estimated time of arrival (ETA) for strikes, Monitor saved locations, 6-hour strike history

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads & Limits | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and real-time lightning tracking
- 👍 Helpful for safety and planning outdoor activities
- 💡 Useful for weather monitoring and storm tracking
- ⭐ Excellent app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🚫 Lack of important features like distance, alerts, and history

**Reported bugs**

- App not detecting lightning strikes even when visible
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with app updates and functionality changes

**Requested features**

- Add distance/radius information for lightning strikes
- Implement push notifications/alerts for lightning within a certain radius
- Provide historical data and the ability to view past lightning activity
- Improve overall app stability and performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thunderly free?

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

### Is Lightning Tracker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thunderly or Lightning Tracker?

Thunderly and Lightning Tracker are both rated 4.3 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.6K and 574 ratings respectively.

### Do Thunderly or Lightning Tracker have ads?

Lightning Tracker shows ads; Thunderly does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thunderly or Lightning Tracker?

Thunderly ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lightning Tracker every 4 months. Most recently, Thunderly was updated on September 26, 2026 and Lightning Tracker on September 27, 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.*