Step's Aurora Guide vs Aurora Iceland
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Step's Aurora Guide
This app provides aurora forecasts, alerts, and expert photography advice. It helps users plan and capture stunning aurora images with real-time data, geomagnetic forecasts, and personalized guidance.
- 27-day geomagnetic activity forecast
- Moon phase and darkness alignment
- Real-time aurora probability
- Hour-by-hour weather updates
- Expert photography advice
- Custom location comparison
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Created by an aurora photographer, the app is your perfect companion for aurora adventures. Make informed decisions, get timely alerts, and improve your chances of seeing and capturing the northern lights and aurora australis. Discover the features that make this app indispensable: Timely Alerts Don't miss the aurora. Receive notifications about elevated Kp-index levels in the coming days and when your chances of witnessing the aurora within the next hour are becoming high. Get the notice you need to be ready. Real-time Aurora Forecast Witness the aurora probability in real-time with the SWPC Ovation aurora forecast. Instantly see current aurora probabilities, monitor unfolding trends, and pinpoint the anticipated peak times — all tailored for your location. These insights pair perfectly with aurora alerts. Additionally, solar wind parameters offer a deeper understanding of current aurora activity. Precise Decision-making Make informed choices for tonight and beyond. Access hour-by-hour updates on geomagnetic activity, cloud coverage, temperature, and wind forecast. Compare conditions for your current location and up to 5 custom spots. Advanced Planning Stay one step ahead with our 27-day geomagnetic activity forecast. Seamlessly align your photography sessions with the optimal moon phase and ensure darkness prevails in your selected locations. Track the aurora season from the start. Expert Text Guide Receive tailored advice based on aurora and weather forecasts, moon positioning, and your location. Discover whether the aurora will grace the horizon or dance overhead. Optimise your shots with tips on capturing reflections and shooting under moonlight. Benefit from forecast-based recommendations and camera settings guidance. Additional Features and Beyond Experience a range of other useful features, with more updates on the horizon. Global Applicability The app is designed for global use in all regions where auroras can be visible, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, and more. Aurora looks the same — the landscape makes the difference. Subscription Options The app is available with a weekly, monthly, or yearly auto-renewable subscription, each with a 3-day free trial and full access to all app features, including High Kp-index and Aurora alerts. Download the app and start your 3-day free trial today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Aurora Iceland
Get clear, plain-language forecasts for seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland. It combines aurora activity, cloud cover, and darkness into an easy-to-understand score. Plan your trip with a 7-night outlook and receive alerts if conditions improve overnight.
- Plain language aurora forecasts
- 7-night outlook
- Overnight wake-up alerts
- Live aurora map
- Dark-sky viewing spot recommendations
- Photography tips
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Will you see the northern lights tonight? Aurora Iceland answers that question in plain language — Go out tonight, Worth a try, or Not tonight — so you can stop decoding charts and start hunting. THE VERDICT, NOT A CHART Every forecast combines real aurora activity (NOAA satellite data), cloud cover over Iceland, true darkness hours, and moonlight into one honest score. You see exactly why: clear skies matter more than a big solar storm behind full overcast, and the app never pretends otherwise. PLAN YOUR WHOLE TRIP You're in Iceland for a week, not a season. The outlook shows a verdict for each of your next seven nights — with honest confidence labels, because a forecast five days out is an estimate and we say so. Pick your aurora night before you book the rental car. NEVER MISS THE LIGHTS We watch the sky while you sleep. If conditions turn good near you during the night, your phone wakes you — before the display fades. You set the threshold, the cloud limit, and quiet hours. KNOW WHERE TO DRIVE A live aurora map centered on Iceland, plus hand-picked dark-sky viewing spots — from Grótta lighthouse fifteen minutes from Reykjavík to Kirkjufell and Jökulsárlón — each with driving time and a one-tap route in Maps. LEARN TO ACTUALLY SEE IT Short, practical guidance from people who hunt these lights: why your eyes need ten minutes of darkness, why the aurora comes in waves, and how to photograph it with just your phone. AURORA PASS The full experience — wake-me-up alerts, the complete 7-night outlook, and every forecast detail — comes as a simple 7-Day Trip Pass: one payment, no subscription, made for your trip. Locals and returning visitors can choose an annual option instead. HONEST BY DESIGN In Iceland's bright summer nights the app tells you plainly that no aurora can be seen — no fake scores, ever. Forecasts are built on NOAA space-weather data and professional cloud models, updated around the clock. Available in English, Deutsch, 中文 and íslenska. Questions? medalheimur@medalheimur.is · Privacy: auroraiceland.app/privacy · EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Step's Aurora Guide at 4.5 against Aurora Iceland's 4.0. Step's Aurora Guide also leads on ratings volume (117 vs 1) and chart position (#139 vs unranked). Aurora Iceland's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). 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
Both are free to download. Step's Aurora Guide sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Aurora Iceland sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Step's Aurora Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Step's Aurora Guide has 117 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Step's Aurora Guide ships an update every 3 weeks, Aurora Iceland every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Step's Aurora Guide | Aurora Iceland |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (117 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 117 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #139 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Steps Aurora Guide | Medalheimur ehf. |
In-app purchases
Step's Aurora Guide
- Alerts, Forecast & Guide3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Alerts, Forecast & Guide3 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Alerts, Forecast & Guide3 Days trial$29.991 Year
Aurora Iceland
- Aurora Pass Annual3 Days trial$24.991 Year
- 14-Day Trip Pass$7.99
Questions
Is Step's Aurora Guide free?
Is Aurora Iceland free?
Which has better reviews, Step's Aurora Guide or Aurora Iceland?
Do Step's Aurora Guide or Aurora Iceland have ads?
Which is updated more often, Step's Aurora Guide or Aurora Iceland?
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