# SpaceWeatherLive vs Aurora Beacon

The clearest difference is ads: Aurora Beacon at none against SpaceWeatherLive's shown. Aurora Beacon also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months). SpaceWeatherLive's advantage is chart position (#162 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpaceWeatherLive sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Aurora Beacon sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SpaceWeatherLive ships an update every 4 months, Aurora Beacon every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpaceWeatherLive | Aurora Beacon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceweatherlive/id1435501021/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **189** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#162** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Parsec vzw](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435501020) | [Neil Thomas](https://appshunter.io/developer/363455395) |

## What reviewers say

### SpaceWeatherLive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceweatherlive/id1435501021)

**Currently charting:** #162 Top Free · Weather, #196 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Track aurora and solar activity in real-time with detailed forecasts and historical data. Receive customizable push notifications for significant space weather events. Explore an extensive archive and learn from expert reports.

**Highlights:** Aurora and solar activity tracking, Real-time forecasts, Push notifications for space weather events, Dark mode for night use, Detailed graphs and reports, Extensive historical data archive, Beginner-friendly explanations

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-free - monthly package | $0.99 | per month |
| Ad-free - half-yearly package | $5.49 | per 6 months |
| Ad-free - yearly package | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent space weather information
- 🔍 Detailed and informative data
- 📚 Helpful tutorials and explanations
- 🌍 Useful for aurora chasers and enthusiasts
- 🤖 Comprehensive data from various sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Overwhelming amount of information
- 🔔 Too many notifications/alerts
- 💰 Ads becoming too intrusive
- 🔌 Notifications not always working
- 🤔 Confusing navigation at times

**Reported bugs**

- Video links not working
- Alerts disappearing after opening the app
- Inconsistent performance after updates
- Notification count not clearing properly

**Requested features**

- Customizable notification settings
- Dark mode option
- Location-based alerts
- Ability to track solar activity trends
- Integration with other weather/astronomy apps


### Aurora Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-beacon/id6787973748)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aurora Beacon Plus Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Aurora Beacon Plus Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpaceWeatherLive free?

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

### Is Aurora Beacon free?

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

### Do SpaceWeatherLive or Aurora Beacon have ads?

SpaceWeatherLive shows ads; Aurora Beacon does not.

### Which is updated more often, SpaceWeatherLive or Aurora Beacon?

SpaceWeatherLive ships an update every 4 months, and Aurora Beacon every 3 days. Most recently, SpaceWeatherLive was updated on October 19, 2026 and Aurora Beacon on September 24, 2026.

---

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