# Lightning Tracker vs Hanalei River

The clearest difference is price: Lightning Tracker at Free against Hanalei River's $0.99. Lightning Tracker also leads on ratings volume (574 vs 22) and review sentiment (76% vs 67%). Hanalei River's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Lightning Tracker is free to download; Hanalei River costs $0.99 up front. Lightning Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hanalei River asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hanalei River holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Tracker has 574 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Lightning Tracker's written reviews are positive against 67% of Hanalei River's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lightning Tracker ships an update every 4 months, Hanalei River every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightning Tracker | Hanalei River |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id1473753714/reviews) | **[4.5 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanalei-river/id1599017267/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **574** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#129** |
| Size | 127 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Elecont LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/401533969) | [ONOSOL LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252773943) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightning Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id1473753714)

Visualize real-time lightning strikes across North and South America on a dynamic map. Receive predictive alerts for strike patterns and intensity, with estimated arrival times for your location. Monitor current and historical lightning activity to stay informed and protected.

**Highlights:** Live lightning map, Real-time strike visualization, Predictive lightning alerts, Estimated time of arrival (ETA) for strikes, Monitor saved locations, 6-hour strike history

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads & Limits | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and real-time lightning tracking
- 👍 Helpful for safety and planning outdoor activities
- 💡 Useful for weather monitoring and storm tracking
- ⭐ Excellent app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🚫 Lack of important features like distance, alerts, and history

**Reported bugs**

- App not detecting lightning strikes even when visible
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with app updates and functionality changes

**Requested features**

- Add distance/radius information for lightning strikes
- Implement push notifications/alerts for lightning within a certain radius
- Provide historical data and the ability to view past lightning activity
- Improve overall app stability and performance


### Hanalei River

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanalei-river/id1599017267)

**Currently charting:** #129 Top Paid · Weather (US App Store)

Monitor river gauge heights and road conditions on Kaua'i during heavy rains. Access real-time data from USGS river gauges and view traffic camera feeds to check road accessibility. Future updates will include push notifications for rising river levels.

**Highlights:** USGS river gauge height monitoring, Hanalei Initiative road camera access, All Kaua'i river gauge data, Push notifications for rising rivers (upcoming)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightning Tracker free?

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

### Is Hanalei River free?

Hanalei River costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lightning Tracker or Hanalei River?

Hanalei River is rated higher. Lightning Tracker averages 4.3 out of 5 from 574 ratings, while Hanalei River averages 4.5 from 22 ratings.

### Do Lightning Tracker or Hanalei River have ads?

Lightning Tracker shows ads; Hanalei River does not.

### Which is updated more often, Lightning Tracker or Hanalei River?

Lightning Tracker ships an update every 4 months, and Hanalei River every 4 weeks. Most recently, Lightning Tracker was updated on September 29, 2026 and Hanalei River on September 22, 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.*