Comparison

Pho Sun vs Chase the Light

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

Head to head
About

Pho Sun

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Enhance the light in your photos by taking advantage of the position of the sun, check where the sun will be at sunrise and sunset to create striking images, find out when the golden hour and the blue hour begin to make your images more spectacular.

About

Chase the Light

Features
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Chase the Light is the essential tool for cinematographers, photographers, and anyone who lives for the magic of natural light. Know exactly when golden hour begins where you're standing. Every time is calculated for your GPS coordinates and today's date, and live weather tells you what the light will actually look like. THE LIGHT LOOP โ€” YOUR DAY'S LIGHT AT A GLANCE A 24-hour loop on the home screen shows where you are in the day, from soft daylight through golden hour, blue hour and night. As golden or blue hour approaches, it opens up with a live countdown to the next phase. The rest of the day it folds into a compact capsule, out of your way. Tap any phase to see when it starts today, what the light looks like, and how to shoot it. SEVEN PHASES OF LIGHT โ€” PRECISELY TIMED Every cinematographer knows the best light lasts only minutes. Chase the Light times every phase of the day for your exact location and date: - Night โ€” Full darkness. Stars and long exposures. - Astronomical Twilight โ€” The sky begins to glow. Deep navy hues emerge. - Nautical Twilight โ€” Rich indigo and violet tones. The horizon comes alive. - Blue Hour โ€” Cool ethereal blue light. No shadows. Pure atmosphere. Also known as civil twilight. - Golden Hour โ€” Warm, soft, directional light. The magic begins. - Low Sun โ€” Warm, angled light. Long dramatic shadows. - Soft Light โ€” Gentle daylight. Flattering and cinematic. LIVE ACTIVITY โ€” THE COUNTDOWN ON YOUR LOCK SCREEN Open the app around golden or blue hour and follow the countdown on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, phase by phase, without unlocking your phone. With Pro alerts on, it starts on its own. APPLE WATCH Put the Light Loop on your watch face: a ring of the day's light phases with the time to the next one, alongside a Next Event complication for sunrise and sunset. LIVE SUN TRACKING A real-time cinematic sun arc shows the sun's exact position in the sky right now. Watch it move. Know where it's heading. The arc updates every second with the sun's true altitude and azimuth for your coordinates. SUNRISE & SUNSET FORECASTS Not just the times โ€” but what the light will actually look like. Cloud cover, weather conditions, and a Great/Good/Poor light quality rating tell you whether to set your alarm or sleep in. LIVE SATELLITE IMAGERY See the actual clouds over your region right now with live GOES satellite imagery. Know what's coming before you pack your gear. DEPARTURE REMINDERS Set notifications for exactly when you need to leave to reach your shooting location on time. Account for travel time and setup. Never miss the light because you left too late. GLOBAL LOCATION SEARCH Search any city or location worldwide. Planning a shoot in Iceland? Patagonia? The Sahara? Chase the Light works everywhere. REAL-TIME WEATHER Current conditions, temperature, cloud cover, humidity, wind speed, and a 24-hour forecast strip with golden and blue hour windows highlighted. FREE AND PRO The Light Loop, all seven light phases, the sun arc, current weather and the Apple Watch complications are free. Chase the Light Pro adds golden- and blue-hour alerts, departure reminders, a Live Activity that starts on its own, and the full Apple Watch app. Built by a cinematographer, for cinematographers. Because the best light only lasts minutes. Chase it.

Screenshots

Pho Sun3 screens
Chase the Light4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pho Sun at none against Chase the Light's 1. Pho Sun also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Chase the Light sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pho Sun asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pho Sun ships an update every 2 days, Chase the Light fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
Pho Sun versus Chase the Light: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPho SunChase the Light
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days โ€” betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better26.2
Further details โ€” not scored
Size1 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrea BiancatJEFFREY ELVIN HAUPT

In-app purchases

None

Pho Sun

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Chase the Light

One-time1
  • Chase the Light$1.99

Questions

Is Pho Sun free?
Pho Sun is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chase the Light free?
Chase the Light is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pho Sun or Chase the Light have ads?
Neither Pho Sun nor Chase the Light shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pho Sun or Chase the Light?
Pho Sun ships an update every 2 days, and Chase the Light fortnightly. Most recently, Pho Sun was updated on October 18, 2026 and Chase the Light on October 25, 2026.

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