# Lightning Distance Calculator vs RDS

The clearest difference is price: RDS at Free against Lightning Distance Calculator's $0.99. RDS also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 96 months). On ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

RDS is free to download; Lightning Distance Calculator costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

RDS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Lightning Distance Calculator ships an update every 96 months, RDS every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightning Distance Calculator | RDS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-distance-calculator/id348821275/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rds-32/id1623034787/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 96 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 7 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gianluca Natalini](https://appshunter.io/developer/348380792) | [Mirion Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/561534087) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightning Distance Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-distance-calculator/id348821275)

This utility app estimates the distance to lightning strikes by measuring the time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder. It provides calculations in both meters and feet, with adjustable temperature settings for accuracy. Geotagging with GPS data is also included.

**Highlights:** Lightning and thunder time measurement, Distance calculation in meters and feet, Adjustable atmospheric temperature, Geotagging with 3D GPS data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### RDS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rds-32/id1623034787)

This utility app connects to a radiation survey meter, displaying real-time data and allowing parameter adjustments. It also integrates with supervision services for enhanced monitoring.

**Highlights:** Connect to RDS-32 survey meter, Display real-time device data, Edit setpoints and parameters, Connect to RadResponder, Connect to Spirview Mobile

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightning Distance Calculator free?

Lightning Distance Calculator costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RDS free?

RDS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lightning Distance Calculator or RDS?

RDS is rated higher. Lightning Distance Calculator averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while RDS averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Lightning Distance Calculator or RDS have ads?

Neither Lightning Distance Calculator nor RDS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightning Distance Calculator or RDS?

Lightning Distance Calculator ships an update every 96 months, and RDS every 3 months. Most recently, Lightning Distance Calculator was updated on November 1, 2026 and RDS on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*