Flash Boom vs Lightning Tracker
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 Tracker
Visualize real-time lightning strikes across North and South America on a dynamic map. Receive predictive alerts for strike patterns and intensity, with estimated arrival times for your location. Monitor current and historical lightning activity to stay informed and protected.
- Live lightning map
- Real-time strike visualization
- Predictive lightning alerts
- Estimated time of arrival (ETA) for strikes
- Monitor saved locations
- 6-hour strike history
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Stay safe from lightning! Lightning Tracker delivers real-time lightning strike data for North and South America, keeping you and your loved ones protected. Live Lightning Map: Watch real-time strikes across the Americas with color-coded visuals to track lightning movement. Lightning Alerts: Predict strike patterns and intensity, with ETAs for your location. Monitor Anywhere: Check strikes near you or saved spots, like home or family, in one tap. 6-Hour Strike History: Analyze past lightning trends to stay one step ahead. Protect what matters most with Lightning Tracker. Download now to track strikes and stay safe!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Flash Boom at 5.0 against Lightning Tracker's 4.3. Flash Boom also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Lightning Tracker's advantage is ratings volume (574 vs 1) and review sentiment (75% vs 60%). On price 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 Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Flash Boom asks for nothing beyond the download.
Flash Boom holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Tracker has 574 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 75% of Lightning Tracker'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 Tracker every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Flash Boom | Lightning Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.3 (574 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 74.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 574 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.3 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 127 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Edward Danley | Elecont LLC |
Customer experience
Flash Boom
Lightning Tracker
Bugs and requests
Flash Boom
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Lightning Tracker
Reported bugs
3 issues- App not detecting lightning strikes even when visible
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with app updates and functionality changes
Requested features
4 requests- Add distance/radius information for lightning strikes
- Implement push notifications/alerts for lightning within a certain radius
- Provide historical data and the ability to view past lightning activity
- Improve overall app stability and performance
In-app purchases
Flash Boom
No in-app purchases
Lightning Tracker
- Remove Ads & Limits$2.99
Questions
Is Flash Boom free?
Is Lightning Tracker free?
Which has better reviews, Flash Boom or Lightning Tracker?
Do Flash Boom or Lightning Tracker have ads?
Which is updated more often, Flash Boom or Lightning Tracker?
Other comparisons
