# National Park Service vs The Eclipse App

The clearest difference is rating: National Park Service at 4.9 against The Eclipse App's 4.0. National Park Service also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (138K vs 100). The Eclipse App's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Eclipse App sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. National Park Service asks for nothing beyond the download.

National Park Service holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: National Park Service has 138K ratings behind it against 100, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of National Park Service's written reviews are positive against 59% of The Eclipse App's.

National Park Service ships an update every 3 weeks, The Eclipse App weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | National Park Service | The Eclipse App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (138K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-park-service/id1549226484/reviews)** | [4.0 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-eclipse-app/id6476629038/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **138K** | 100 |
| Positive reviews | **73.6% of reviews** | 58.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#117** | — |
| Size | 116 MB | 157 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [National Park Service](https://appshunter.io/developer/447866742) | [The Eclipse Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727402677) |

## What reviewers say

### National Park Service

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-park-service/id1549226484)

**Currently charting:** #117 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Explore over 420 national parks with interactive maps, self-guided tours, and essential on-the-ground information. Download park content for offline use, plan your visit with amenity and fee details, and stay updated on news and events.

**Highlights:** Interactive park maps, Self-guided tours, Offline park content, Amenity and fee information, News, alerts, and events, Accessibility features

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful information on national parks
- 🚀 Useful offline features
- 💡 Ability to create lists of visited/to-visit parks
- 🗺️ Interactive maps and GPS guidance
- 📷 Photo features like creating postcards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Downloading issues and app crashes
- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific information or navigating the app
- 🗺️ Inconsistent or incomplete map and trail data
- 🕰️ Outdated information on park hours and closures
- 🔍 Lack of organization and filtering options

**Reported bugs**

- Downloading parks gets stuck at certain percentages
- Maps not loading or showing incorrect information
- App crashes when trying to access certain features
- Inconsistent behavior across iOS and Android versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to add parks to visited list directly from park page
- Option to sync data across devices and backup user data
- Filter parks by type (national park, monument, etc.)
- Display all parks on a single map view
- Integrate with digital park passes and tickets


### The Eclipse App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-eclipse-app/id6476629038)

Plan for the 2027 total solar eclipse with an interactive map, live countdown, and detailed timing for every phase. Explore the path of totality, check environmental conditions, and capture memories of this celestial event.

**Highlights:** Interactive path of totality map, Live countdown to eclipse phases, Location-specific eclipse timing, Environmental condition forecasts (heat, dust, clouds), Photography and video tools, Chaser Index for best viewing spots, Relive eclipse memories

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown+ | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pro | $3.00 | one-time |
| 2026 Chaser | $4.99 | one-time |
| 2027 Chaser Upgrade | $6.99 | one-time |
| 2027 Chaser | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for eclipse planning
- 🎯 Accurate timing and countdowns
- 🗺️ Useful location suggestions
- 💡 Provides valuable eclipse information
- ✨ Great user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Pro version perceived as scam
- ❌ Pro features not working
- 📉 Cloud forecast inaccurate
- 🚫 No notifications received
- 🤷 Pro version only useful in totality path

**Reported bugs**

- Pro features not working
- Cloud forecast inaccurate
- No notifications received
- Audio and vibration alerts not working
- App crashes or doesn't open

**Requested features**

- Allow use outside totality path for general info
- Improve cloud forecast accuracy
- Ensure audio/vibration alerts work when app is in background
- Add Google Maps integration on iPhone
- Provide more detailed information before purchase


## Frequently asked questions

### Is National Park Service free?

National Park Service is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Eclipse App free?

The Eclipse App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, National Park Service or The Eclipse App?

National Park Service is rated higher. National Park Service averages 4.9 out of 5 from 138K ratings, while The Eclipse App averages 4.0 from 100 ratings.

### Do National Park Service or The Eclipse App have ads?

Neither National Park Service nor The Eclipse App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, National Park Service or The Eclipse App?

National Park Service ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Eclipse App weekly. Most recently, National Park Service was updated on November 9, 2026 and The Eclipse App on November 8, 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.*