Comparison

Shadowmap vs Sunscape AR

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Shadowmap

Analyze sunlight and shadows for any location worldwide. Optimize solar energy, assess real estate, plan photography, and find ideal outdoor spots. Offers advanced 3D editing and data export capabilities.

Highlights
  • Sun and shadow simulation
  • Solar energy optimization
  • Real estate and architecture analysis
  • Photography and cinematography planning
  • 3D world editing
  • Solar data export to CSV
Features
Read full description

Shadowmap shows where the sun shines and where shadows fall – for any rooftop, street, or garden on Earth. Built on global building, tree, and terrain data, it simulates sunlight down to the minute, on any date. Trusted by realtors, solar professionals, photographers, and anyone planning life around the sun. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Find the sunniest home, apartment, or plot • Optimize solar panel placement & yield • Scout photo & film locations remotely • Plan gardens, terraces & outdoor spaces • Time your day around natural light WHAT'S NEW • Major performance update: increased stability and improved UX • Edit the 3D World – place objects, adjust buildings, share your scene (free) • Export Solar Data to CSV – run analytics in your spreadsheet or tool of choice GET STARTED FOR FREE • Simulate sunlight & shadows • Explore the global 3D map • Edit existing 3D buildings and trees • Place basic 3D objects (cuboids, cylinders, trees) •. Share your edited 3D scene Explorer (In-App Purchase): • Unlock 3D camera view of the Sun • Change date & time in the future or the past for precise planning Home (In-App Purchase): • All Explorer features • Extended 3D objects (freeform, roofs, trees) • 14-day global weather and UV forecast, along with historical data • High-quality 3D maps & extra base maps • Adjust default building height • Visualize floor levels on facades Studio (In-App Purchase): • Our most advanced offering • All Explorer + Home features • Interactive 3D Solar Analytics • High resolution textured 3D digital twin • Edit existing 3D buildings and trees • Create individual shapes & use prefabs • Upload your own 3D models • Share & embed your projects anywhere Shadowmap is an award-winning app: • APTI Award Winner 2024 • Golden Kitty Awards Finalist 2021 • #3 Product of the Day – Product Hunt – Download Shadowmap today and connect with the Sun in unprecedented ways. – Technical support: support@shadowmap.org You can purchase "Shadowmap Home" and "Shadowmap Studio" as monthly or yearly subscription. You can subscribe and pay through your iTunes account. Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will automatically renew unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You may manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renew after purchase by going to the ‘Manage Subscription’ page in settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited if you purchase a subscription, where applicable. All subscriptions will renew at their respective cost. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://shadowmap.org/privacy-policy

About

Sunscape AR

Instantly determine the precise amount of sunlight any location receives throughout the year. This app uses machine learning to analyze obstructions like buildings and trees, providing accurate sun schedules without guesswork. Ideal for planning gardening, landscaping, or solar installations.

Highlights
  • Instant sunlight calculation
  • Machine learning analysis
  • Obstruction mapping (trees, buildings)
  • Hand-correction paint tool
  • Annual sun schedule simulation
  • Guided tutorial
Read full description

Find out exactly how much sunlight your plants will get any day of the year - with all shade sources factored in! Make sure your plants get enough light, plan the perfect photoshoot, you name it. No more guessing - Sunscape AR gives you a precise and accurate sunlight schedule by factoring in all buildings, trees, and other shade sources with Machine Learning technology and 3D simulation. When you don’t have a full year to assess sunlight conditions, let Sunscape AR do it in seconds. Perfect for gardeners, landscapers, solar installers, homebuyers, or anyone else who needs instant and accurate sunlight schedules. Find out how much direct sunlight a room gets, plan your next landscaping project, decide where to place solar panels, and much more. The app works fully offline. The machine learning model on which this app is based requires A14 chip or later [roughly corresponding to iPhone 12 or later].

Screenshots

Shadowmap4 screens
Sunscape AR3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sunscape AR at every 9 days against Shadowmap's every 6 weeks. Sunscape AR also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 45%). Shadowmap's advantage is chart position (#107 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Shadowmap sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Sunscape AR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shadowmap ships an update every 6 weeks, Sunscape AR every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Shadowmap versus Sunscape AR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadowmapSunscape AR
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews45.5% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#107 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB117 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShadowmap Technologies GmbHAtulya Weise

Customer experience

Shadowmap

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive45.5%
Neutral6.1%
Negative48.5%

Sunscape AR

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Shadowmap

Subscriptions10
  • Shadowmap Home – Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Shadowmap Home – Monthly Trial3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Shadowmap Explorer – Yearly$29.991 Year
Show 7 more
  • Shadowmap Explorer – Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Shadowmap Studio – Monthly$59.991 Month
  • Shadowmap Studio – Yearly3 Days trial$59.991 Month
  • Shadowmap Home – Yearly$99.991 Year
  • Shadowmap Home – Yearly Trial3 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Shadowmap Studio – Yearly$599.991 Year
  • Shadowmap Studio – Yearly3 Days trial$599.991 Year
1 purchases

Sunscape AR

One-time1
  • Sunscape Ultimate$4.99

Questions

Is Shadowmap free?
Shadowmap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sunscape AR free?
Sunscape AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shadowmap or Sunscape AR have ads?
Neither Shadowmap nor Sunscape AR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shadowmap or Sunscape AR?
Shadowmap ships an update every 6 weeks, and Sunscape AR every 9 days. Most recently, Shadowmap was updated on October 20, 2026 and Sunscape AR on September 30, 2026.

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