Comparison

SkyText vs Thunder for Lemmy

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

Head to head
About

SkyText

Type messages on your device and display them as scrolling text in real time. Ideal for noisy environments or when silent communication is needed. Offers preset messages and customizable display options.

Highlights
  • Real-time scrolling text display
  • Silent communication
  • Preset message storage and editing
  • Day/night color themes
  • Automatic scrolling on orientation change
  • Supports upside-down display
Features
Read full description

SkyText is the premier text-scrolling application for the iPhone and iPod Touch from Heynow Software. SkyText allows you to type messages on your touch device and display them instantly as scrolling text on its screen. In real time. All from one screen. Here's how it works: 1. Hold your iPhone/iPod Touch in portrait orientation and type text on the keyboard, just like text messaging. 2. Raise your hand (the one holding the device) and face the screen toward the person that you want to display the message to, in landscape orientation. SkyText uses the accelerometer to sense the change in orientation and automatically scrolls the message. That's it. Quick and easy. The way it should be. When would you use SkyText? • In a loud, crowded bar • A hottie is looking at you from a distance and you want to break the ice • You've become thirsty • Your buddy is a the end of the bar, and you just need to taunt him • At a concert • On the golf course • At the airport • At a sporting event • In the parking lot, picking up your kids after a concert • At the beach • In the library • At the race track • While hunting or fishing • Six of you are going skiing, 3 people each in 2 cars. Cell reception is spotty, you need to communicate and don't want to "scream & freeze" • You're a sound engineer and you need to tell the guitar player to turn down • You're in church and need to discreetly tell the reverend that his fly is unzipped • Anywhere you need to communicate with somebody and: • They are unable to hear you • You need to get their attention • You can't get to them • You can't make a sound but want to get a message across When would *you* use SkyText? And, in case you're wondering: √ Yes, after the message ends there's a brief delay, you get a single vibration, and the message scrolls again. √ Yes, when you bring your hand back down, SkyText has cleared the text-entry box and the cursor is blinking, ready for you to type your next message.    √ Yes, if you want re-display the last message, it's still available on the screen. Just tap on it to display it again. √ Yes, you can store messages as preset messages and quickly select them for display with one tap. √ Yes, you can also edit a preset message quickly and display it, with or without saving the edits to the preset itself! √ Yes, you can quickly go between hand-typing and preset messages on the same screen. √ Yes, there are two font/background color combinations for day and night display, quickly accessible on the screen. √ Yes, we know some people are left-handed. SkyText scrolls the text properly regardless of which way you turn it into landscape. You can even flip your phone upside down once it's scrolling, and watch the fun. We put a lot of time and effort into SkyText because, frankly, you shouldn't have to. We're Heynow.

About

Thunder for Lemmy

An open-source client for exploring the fediverse, offering multi-account support and extensive customization. Navigate communities, posts, and comments with swipe gestures and a Safari extension for seamless linking. Still in early development with more features planned.

Highlights
  • Open source client
  • Multi-account support
  • Customizable settings
  • Swipe gestures
  • Safari extension
Features
Read full description

Thunder is an open source Lemmy/PieFed client for the fediverse, fully free of advertisements and trackers. Here's a peek at what Thunder offers: - Multi-account support: Login to all your accounts, and switch between them at ease - Fully customizable settings: Choose your own splash of accent, customize your own gestures, and much more - Swipe gestures: Navigate and interact with your favourite communities, posts, and comments all through customizable swipe gestures. - Safari extension: Opens Lemmy links in Thunder Thunder is still very early on in development and many more features are yet to be available!

Screenshots

SkyText3 screens
Thunder for Lemmy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Thunder for Lemmy at Free against SkyText's $1.99. Thunder for Lemmy also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 21 months) and ratings volume (14 vs 1). SkyText's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). On ads, 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

Thunder for Lemmy is free to download; SkyText costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SkyText holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thunder for Lemmy has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of SkyText's written reviews are positive against 71% of Thunder for Lemmy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SkyText ships an update every 21 months, Thunder for Lemmy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
SkyText versus Thunder for Lemmy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSkyTextThunder for Lemmy
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better3.6 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews82.4% of reviews — better71.4% of reviews
Number of ratings114 — better
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#87 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB45 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperHeynow SoftwareHamlet Jiang Su

Customer experience

SkyText

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive82.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative17.6%

Thunder for Lemmy

All ratings13 ratings
Positive69.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.8%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

In-app purchases

None

SkyText

No in-app purchases

None

Thunder for Lemmy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SkyText free?
SkyText costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Thunder for Lemmy free?
Thunder for Lemmy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SkyText or Thunder for Lemmy?
SkyText is rated higher. SkyText averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Thunder for Lemmy averages 3.6 from 14 ratings.
Do SkyText or Thunder for Lemmy have ads?
Neither SkyText nor Thunder for Lemmy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SkyText or Thunder for Lemmy?
SkyText ships an update every 21 months, and Thunder for Lemmy every 2 weeks. Most recently, SkyText was updated on November 10, 2026 and Thunder for Lemmy on November 3, 2026.

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