# Sunbeam vs Luminous

The clearest difference is rating: Sunbeam at 4.7 against Luminous's 3.5. Sunbeam also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 2) and review sentiment (70% vs 50%). Luminous's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sunbeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Luminous sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sunbeam holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sunbeam has 1.7K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Sunbeam's written reviews are positive against 50% of Luminous's.

Sunbeam ships an update every 4 weeks, Luminous every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sunbeam | Luminous |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-uv-index-tracker/id1448601833/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminous-uv-index-tracking/id6746096003/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **69.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 113 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Electric Acorn Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890746620) | [Trevor Grady](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441211990) |

## What reviewers say

### Sunbeam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-uv-index-tracker/id1448601833)

This app provides real-time UV Index forecasts and personalized sun exposure tracking. It helps users avoid sunburn, monitor time spent in daylight, and estimate Vitamin D levels. Features include widgets, Apple Watch integration, and Apple Health syncing.

**Highlights:** Worldwide UV Index forecasts, Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets, Apple Watch app with complications, Apple Health integration, Personalized sunburn risk tracking, Live Activities for Lock Screen, Extended 10-day UV forecasts

**Features:** Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sunbeam Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Sunbeam Pro Annual | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate UV tracking
- 👍 Helpful for planning sun exposure
- 🌞 Useful for tanning and vitamin D generation
- 🔒 Respects user privacy
- 📊 Provides detailed hourly and daily UV forecasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and connectivity issues
- 📍 Difficulty setting custom location
- 🔋 High battery consumption for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Widget not working for some users
- UV data not updating correctly in certain locations
- Vitamin D tab not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Integration with Apple Health for better vitamin D tracking
- Customizable sun exposure timers and alarms
- Historical data and exposure tracking
- More detailed skin type and sunscreen recommendations


### Luminous

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminous-uv-index-tracking/id6746096003)

This app tracks real-time UV levels and your daily sun exposure to help you protect your skin and stay healthy. It offers smart notifications and integrates with Apple Health for comprehensive wellness tracking.

**Highlights:** Real-time UV measurement, Automatic exposure tracking, Smart UV notifications, Apple Health integration, Winter sun exposure tracking

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Luminous Plus Annual | $12.99 | per year |
| Annual | $12.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sunbeam free?

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

### Is Luminous free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sunbeam or Luminous?

Sunbeam is rated higher. Sunbeam averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Luminous averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Sunbeam or Luminous have ads?

Neither Sunbeam nor Luminous shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sunbeam or Luminous?

Sunbeam ships an update every 4 weeks, and Luminous every 10 days. Most recently, Sunbeam was updated on November 11, 2026 and Luminous on October 30, 2026.

---

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