Comparison

Thunder & Lightning vs SOSLight

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

Head to head
About

Thunder & Lightning

Measure the distance to loud events like thunder, fireworks, or rocket launches by timing the visual and auditory cues. Adjust for temperature for greater accuracy and choose your preferred units. It also functions as a stopwatch, speed-of-sound calculator, and unit converter.

Highlights
  • Distance measurement to sound events
  • Temperature adjustment for accuracy
  • U.S./Imperial and metric units
  • Stopwatch functionality
  • Speed-of-sound calculator
  • Fahrenheit/Celsius converter
Features
Read full description

Thunder & Lightning has (barely) one practical purpose: to measure your distance to a sound source. It works for thunder and lightning, fireworks, rocket launches, or other loud events visible from a (hopefully safe) distance away. Just press the Lightning button when you see the event, and Thunder when you hear it. Modern technology does the rest. To perform this trivial task even more accurately, you can enter the temperature of your surroundings to more precisely calculate the speed of sound. You can also choose between U.S./Imperial and metric measurements depending on your personal unit preferences. Should its intended purpose be insufficiently useful, this application can also be used as a reasonably precise (if redundant) stopwatch, a speed-of-sound calculator, a Fahrenheit/Celsius converter, or as an odometer if you happen to be traveling at precisely the speed of sound. Note: Use of application while operating supersonic aircraft is not recommended or approved.

About

SOSLight

Features
Read full description

Turn your phone into a Morse code beacon. SOSLight blinks your flashlight (or full-screen white light) in international Morse code so rescuers, hikers, and sailors can spot your signal in the dark. When the power is out, when you are off-grid, or when you simply need to be seen — tap a preset and let the light do the talking. KEY FEATURES • Plain flashlight mode — one tap for instant, steady light • Built-in emergency presets — SOS, HELP, FIRE, MAYDAY, CQD, SOS-PAN, recognized worldwide • Custom messages — type any phrase and it is converted to Morse automatically • Infinite loop playback — keeps signaling until rescuers arrive • Automatic fallback — uses the screen as a beacon on devices without a torch • 100% on-device — no network, no account, no ads, no tracking WHO IT IS FOR • Hikers, climbers, sailors, and night cyclists who need a visible distress signal • Anyone preparing for power outages, earthquakes, or natural disasters • Students and hobbyists learning Morse code • Outdoor enthusiasts who want a dependable signal light PRIVACY SOSLight does not access your camera images, photos, location, or network. The only permission it requests is flashlight (torch) control, and nothing is collected, stored, or transmitted off the device. Emergencies do not announce themselves. Keep SOSLight on your home screen and call for help with light when seconds matter.

Screenshots

Thunder & Lightning2 screens
SOSLight3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Thunder & Lightning at none against SOSLight's shown. Thunder & Lightning also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Thunder & Lightning versus SOSLight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThunder & LightningSOSLight
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews87.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 128 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS8.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBryan Figlerheewook shin

Bugs and requests

Thunder & Lightning

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crash
  • App does not work anymore

Requested features

11 requests
  • Option to have both miles per hour and centigrade
  • Switch to a single button for lightning and thunder
  • Allow typing temperature instead of slider
  • Display average time and distance of records
  • Use light sensor and camera for lightning detection
Show 6 more
  • Use microphone to detect thunder
  • Log time, location, and estimated distance of lightning
  • Pull weather data for accuracy
  • Use compass to input heading of lightning
  • Plot estimated location of lightning on a map
  • Update for iOS 7

SOSLight

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Thunder & Lightning

No in-app purchases

None

SOSLight

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Thunder & Lightning free?
Thunder & Lightning is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SOSLight free?
SOSLight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Thunder & Lightning or SOSLight have ads?
SOSLight shows ads; Thunder & Lightning does not.

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