# Thunderly vs Lightning Radar

The clearest difference is rating: Lightning Radar at 5.0 against Thunderly's 4.3. Lightning Radar also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 58%). Thunderly's advantage is ratings volume (2.6K vs 12) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Lightning Radar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thunderly has 2.6K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Thunderly's written reviews are positive against 100% of Lightning Radar's.

Thunderly ships an update every 3 weeks, Lightning Radar monthly. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thunderly | Lightning Radar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunderly/id1341334743/reviews) | **[5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-radar/id6785224181/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 113 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jan Plesek](https://appshunter.io/developer/579661449) | [Koode](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561601384) |

## 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 Radar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-radar/id6785224181)

Track lightning strikes globally in real time with live alerts and detailed storm information. View strike locations, distances, and directions on an interactive map, and receive notifications as storms approach.

**Highlights:** Real-time lightning strike map, Customizable lightning alerts, Lock screen and Dynamic Island storm updates, Nearby radar and strike distance, Live chart of nearby storm activity, Search and save locations, Private by design, no tracking or ads

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thunderly free?

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

### Is Lightning Radar free?

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

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

Lightning Radar is rated higher. Thunderly averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Lightning Radar averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.

### Do Thunderly or Lightning Radar have ads?

Neither Thunderly nor Lightning Radar shows ads.

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

Thunderly ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lightning Radar monthly. Most recently, Thunderly was updated on October 2, 2026 and Lightning Radar on October 2, 2026.

---

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