# Magic Hour vs amaran

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Magic Hour at 77% against amaran's 31%. Magic Hour also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.5) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 31). amaran's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Magic Hour sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. amaran asks for nothing beyond the download.

Magic Hour holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic Hour has 5.2K ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Magic Hour's written reviews are positive against 31% of amaran's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magic Hour | amaran |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hour/id482426006/reviews)** | [3.5 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amaran/id6503329243/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 31 |
| Positive reviews | **76.8% of reviews** | 31.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 16 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Linda Byrket](https://appshunter.io/developer/482426309) | [Sidus Link Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546027954) |

## What reviewers say

### Magic Hour

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-hour/id482426006)

This app helps photographers and cinematographers find the optimal times for shooting around sunrise and sunset. It provides precise calculations for 'magic hour' based on your location and offers moon phase information. Optional in-app purchases unlock advanced features like location selection and calendar integration.

**Highlights:** Magic hour time calculation, Sunrise and sunset times, Moonrise and full moon alerts, Weather forecast integration, Customizable notifications, Location-based planning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add Locations Ability | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great overview of the entire Magic Hour
- 👍 Fantastic in every way
- 👍 All the info you need to plan, especially for photographers
- 👍 Sleek and easy to use
- 👍 Perfect for photographers and cinematographers

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏰ Time way off
- 🔍 Can't change location
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 💰 Forced in-app purchase
- 🔍 Can't see future dates anymore

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Time way off
- 🐛 Can't change location
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 🐛 Can't see future dates anymore
- 🐛 Widget doesn't update

**Requested features**

- 💡 Moonrise notification
- 💡 Notification when magic hour ends
- 💡 Blue hour option
- 💡 Allow users to set their own background photo
- 💡 Ability to plan shoots in different locations


### amaran

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amaran/id6503329243)

Control your lighting setup effortlessly with a user-friendly interface. Manage multiple fixtures, adjust brightness, and save custom configurations in real-time. This app is designed to simplify your creative process, whether on location or in the studio.

**Highlights:** Simplified lighting control, Real-time adjustments, Multi-light management, Customizable shortcuts, Save favorite setups, Toggle lights on/off, Adjust brightness

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magic Hour free?

Magic Hour is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is amaran free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Magic Hour or amaran?

Magic Hour is rated higher. Magic Hour averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while amaran averages 3.5 from 31 ratings.

### Do Magic Hour or amaran have ads?

Neither Magic Hour nor amaran shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Magic Hour or amaran?

Magic Hour ships an update every 2 months, and amaran every 2 months. Most recently, Magic Hour was updated on September 23, 2026 and amaran on September 14, 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.*