Flash Boom vs Lightning Alarm
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flash Boom
This app estimates the distance to lightning strikes by timing the interval between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder. It provides a simple, quick way to gauge your proximity to a storm and advises taking cover if you are within 5 miles.
- Lightning distance estimation
- Flash and thunder timing
- Distance in miles and kilometers
- Safety advisory for close lightning
- Simple tap interface
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Definition: The purpose of Flash Boom is simple. It will give you an estimate of how far away lightning is. The rule of thumb says to allow about 5 seconds for each mile (3 seconds for each kilometer). In reality it is more like 4.72 seconds per mile and 2.99 seconds per kilometer. For more details, please visit http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-the-Distance-from-Lightning Control: Tap the FLASH button when you see the lightning. The button will change to BOOM. Tap the BOOM button when you hear the thunder. Thunder will usually not travel more than 15 miles (24 kilometers). Note: If you are less than 5 miles from the lightning, please take cover. Credit: The original Flash Boom program I knew of was writen by Kim Moelgaard for the Palm OS. I adapted the concept (without access to the code) to the iPhone. Enjoy!
Lightning Alarm
Receive timely notifications about approaching thunderstorms and lightning strikes in your vicinity. This app provides accurate lightning detection and displays real-time information on a map, ensuring safety during outdoor activities.
- Real-time lightning detection
- Approaching storm notifications
- Lightning distance display
- Map view of lightning strikes
- Textual storm information
- Push message alerts
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Always safe with Lightning Alarm. You will be notified if a thunderstorm is in your area. The lightning detection is very accurate and the (automated) notifications are essential for safe outdoor activities. At a glance you can see the nearest lightning. Displayed on the map and in text, you see the current distance from the thunderstorm to your location. You can even set up a push message, notifying you for approaching storms. This App is unique and a must for your safety during outdoor activities. The information is based on the detection network of Meteoplaza.com. With this network 98% of all lightning discharges are detected, resulting in a high quality of the warnings! Lightning Alarm, you have been warned! Lightning Alarm Premium can be purchased through iTunes for € 3.49 per year. € 3.49 will be charged within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions are user-managed and auto-renewal can be turned off by going to Apple ID settings. By purchasing Lightning Alarm Premium you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Privacy statement: https://www.infoplaza.nl/en/about-us/disclaimer-privacy/ Terms of Service: https://www.infoplaza.nl/en/about-us/terms-of-use-lightning-alarm/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Flash Boom at 5.0 against Lightning Alarm's 4.5. Flash Boom also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). Lightning Alarm's advantage is ratings volume (889 vs 1) and review sentiment (80% vs 60%). On price, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Lightning Alarm sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. Flash Boom asks for nothing beyond the download.
Flash Boom holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Alarm has 889 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of Flash Boom's written reviews are positive against 80% of Lightning Alarm's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Flash Boom ships an update every 6 weeks, Lightning Alarm every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Flash Boom | Lightning Alarm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.5 (889 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 80.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 889 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 10.3 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 79 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Edward Danley | Infoplaza BV |
Customer experience
Flash Boom
Lightning Alarm
Bugs and requests
Flash Boom
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Lightning Alarm
Reported bugs
3 issues- Notifications not working
- Map tiles not loading properly
- App crashing on launch
Requested features
4 requests- Option to switch between miles and kilometers
- Add multiple locations to track
- Improve map visuals and details
- Customizable alert radius
In-app purchases
Flash Boom
No in-app purchases
Lightning Alarm
- Lightning Alarm Premium$2.991 Year
- 1 month ad free$0.99
- 3 months ad free$1.99
- 1 year ad free$2.99
Questions
Is Flash Boom free?
Is Lightning Alarm free?
Which has better reviews, Flash Boom or Lightning Alarm?
Do Flash Boom or Lightning Alarm have ads?
Which is updated more often, Flash Boom or Lightning Alarm?
Other comparisons
