Comparison

SunTrack vs HourChime

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

Head to head
About

SunTrack

This app calculates sun tracking parameters for equatorial and altazimuth mounts using device sensors. It displays elevation, tilt, and azimuth, and can automatically update location data.

Highlights
  • Equatorial mount parameters (tilt, elevation)
  • Altazimuth mount parameters (azimuth, elevation)
  • Accelerometer for device surface tilt
  • User-entered latitude
  • Automatic location updates (GPS, Wi-Fi)
  • Error difference display
Features
Read full description

SunTrack provides two sets of parameters for tracking the sun with an Equatorial (Polar) or Altazimuth mounted apparatus such as solar panels. The Equatorial mount parameters include and tilt and elevation while the Altazimuth include azimuth and elevation. For accurate tracking, the Equatorial mount is assumed to be pointed due true south. The program determines the elevation and tilt of the surface of the iPhone or iTouch by accessing the output of the internal accelerometer.  The calculated elevation and tilt of the sun are variable by the location latitude and time of day. The latitude is user entered while the time can be hand set to test while if left running, the application will read the internal time of the iPhone or iTouch.  The error or difference between the calculated elevation and tilt and elevation and tilt of the surface of the iPhone or iTouch is also provided. All parameters (elevation, tilt and azimuth) are referenced to the face of the iPod or iTouch laying on the surface of the solar collecting device with the home button at the bottom. Both Displays, the Altazimuth and Equatorial, support automatic updates from the respective location services (Latitude and Longitude) dependent upon the hardware of the iPhone or iTouch host. The iTouch derives the location from the internet Wi-Fi connection while the iPhone can use the Wi-Fi as well as the internal GPS as well as the telephony service provider location. The result of the automatic update is available to the right of the latitude or longitude entry. The Altazimuth Display provides sun direction in terms of elevation and azimuth parameters for an altazimuth mount. For the Altazimuth measured parameters to work, the device must be an iPhone 3GS or 4 as only these devices support the measured azimuth records from the magnetometer. Any other device such as an iTouch will still support the old Polar or Equatorial parameters (Elevation and Tilt).

About

HourChime

This app provides hourly or 30-minute voice cues and sounds to help you stay focused and on track. It features customizable quiet hours and a clean, battery-friendly interface. The app is designed for reliable background operation.

Highlights
  • Hourly/30-minute chime intervals
  • Spoken time announcements
  • Customizable mute schedule
  • Background operation
  • Battery-friendly design
  • Light/Dark Mode support
Features
Read full description

Chime your day into focus. Hourly or every-30-minute voice cues that keep you on track. Quiet when you need it—powerfully simple when you don’t. HourChime is a focused time-management app that keeps your rhythm with hourly or every-30-minute chimes and optional spoken time, delivering notifications reliably in the background. Set quiet hours with a mute schedule for sleep, meetings, or deep work. A clean, intuitive UI is optimized for Light/Dark Mode and designed to be battery-friendly with no unnecessary background tasks. Features • Chime interval: hourly or every 30 minutes • Spoken time announcement (on/off) + bell sound toggle • Mute Schedule: per time window/day for sleep & meetings • AM/PM or 24-hour display switch • Works reliably in the background after permission • One-time in-app purchase removes ads & unlocks all features (Restore Purchases supported) • Minimal data use; privacy-minded by design Perfect for • Focus sessions, study blocks, and Pomodoro-style routines • Office hours, standups, and calendar-free time awareness • Gentle timekeeping at home and bedtime wind-downs Download now and give your day a clear, calm cadence.

Screenshots

SunTrack2 screens
HourChime4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HourChime at 4.7 against SunTrack's 4.0. HourChime also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 50%). SunTrack's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. HourChime sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SunTrack asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HourChime holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of SunTrack's written reviews are positive against 62% of HourChime's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SunTrack ships an update every 5 weeks, HourChime every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SunTrack versus HourChime: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSunTrackHourChime
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (2 ratings)4.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews61.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings23 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperColuzziWebMitsuhiro Hashimoto

Customer experience

SunTrack

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

HourChime

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral7.7%
Negative30.8%

In-app purchases

None

SunTrack

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

HourChime

One-time1
  • Premium$1.99

Questions

Is SunTrack free?
SunTrack is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HourChime free?
HourChime is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SunTrack or HourChime?
HourChime is rated higher. SunTrack averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while HourChime averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.
Do SunTrack or HourChime have ads?
Neither SunTrack nor HourChime shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SunTrack or HourChime?
SunTrack ships an update every 5 weeks, and HourChime every 2 months. Most recently, SunTrack was updated on September 30, 2026 and HourChime on October 1, 2026.

Other comparisons