# Thunderly vs Lightning Tracker‎

Thunderly and Lightning Tracker‎ both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 58% of Thunderly's written reviews are positive against 8% of Lightning Tracker‎'s. Thunderly also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lightning Tracker‎ sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Thunderly asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Thunderly against 4.4 for Lightning Tracker‎. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thunderly has 2.6K ratings behind it against 156, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Thunderly's written reviews are positive against 8% of Lightning Tracker‎'s.

Thunderly ships an update every 3 weeks, Lightning Tracker‎ every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 28, 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) | **[4.4 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id6670211416/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 156 |
| Positive reviews | **57.7% of reviews** | 8.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 113 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jan Plesek](https://appshunter.io/developer/579661449) | [Going Merry LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1820776999) |

## 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/id6670211416)

Monitor real-time lightning strikes on a map with detailed information like time and distance. Receive background notifications for nearby activity and customize your detection radius. View current weather conditions alongside lightning alerts.

**Highlights:** Real-time lightning strike map, Strike details (time, distance), Background monitoring and notifications, Customizable detection radius (1-50 miles), Current weather conditions view, Lightning strike expiration (15 minutes)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Yearly | $6.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## 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?

Lightning Tracker‎ is rated higher. Thunderly averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Lightning Tracker‎ averages 4.4 from 156 ratings.

### 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 5 months. Most recently, Thunderly was updated on September 26, 2026 and Lightning Tracker‎ on September 28, 2026.

---

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