# Sunbeam vs UV Index

The clearest difference is price: Sunbeam at Free against UV Index's $0.99. UV Index's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 weeks). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sunbeam is free to download; UV Index costs $0.99 up front. Sunbeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. UV Index asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sunbeam ships an update every 4 weeks, UV Index every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sunbeam | UV Index |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-uv-index-tracker/id1448601833/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 70.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 113 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Electric Acorn Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890746620) | [Niklas Almstedt](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781553887) |

## 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

**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


### UV Index

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uv-index-tracker/id6781700651)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sunbeam free?

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

### Is UV Index free?

UV Index costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Sunbeam or UV Index have ads?

Neither Sunbeam nor UV Index shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sunbeam or UV Index?

Sunbeam ships an update every 4 weeks, and UV Index every 9 days. Most recently, Sunbeam was updated on October 26, 2026 and UV Index on October 25, 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.*