Comparison

Aurora Forecast. vs Fireguard Wildfire Tracker

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

Head to head
About

Aurora Forecast.

This app acts as an intelligent guide for aurora hunting, leveraging AI and local weather data to provide personalized "Go/No-Go" verdicts. It offers real-time updates, interactive maps, and customizable notifications to help you find the Northern Lights.

Highlights
  • AI Aurora Analyst with personalized Go/No-Go verdicts
  • Real-time Kp-index updates via widgets
  • Apple Watch complications for wrist tracking
  • Interactive aurora probability map
  • 3D globe with real-time aurora visualization
  • Customizable push notifications for storms
Features
Read full description

Aurora Forecast is your intelligent personal aurora hunting guide — space weather science, Apple's native intelligence, and a live community of aurora watchers, all in your pocket. — COMMUNITY SIGHTINGS — See where the aurora is being spotted right now. Live sightings from people near you appear on the map, and "Seen near you" shows how many are watching the lights nearby, updated in real time. Spotted it yourself? Share it with one tap so others know it's happening now. Anonymous by design — no account, and your location is coarsened for privacy. — AI AURORA ANALYST (Apple Intelligence) — Aurora forecasting means decoding solar wind speed, interplanetary magnetic fields, and Kp indices. Now you don't have to. Our AI Aurora Analyst, powered by Apple Intelligence, processes all of that and delivers a clear, personalized "Go/No-Go" verdict based on your exact location and local weather. One glance answers the only question that matters: "Can I see it tonight?" — WIDGETS & APPLE WATCH COMPLICATIONS — Never miss a geomagnetic storm. Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets deliver real-time Kp-index updates at a glance. Apple Watch complications let you track activity right from your wrist — perfect for quick checks when you're already out in the field. — CORE FEATURES — • Live community sightings near you • NOAA OVATION Aurora Forecast Model • Real-time solar wind & geomagnetic activity data • Interactive aurora probability map • 3D globe with real-time aurora visualization • Live aurora webcams & Sun imagery • Multi-day Kp-index forecast charts • Customizable push notifications for geomagnetic storms • Dark sky location finder • Apple Watch app with complications • 30+ languages supported Whether you're a seasoned aurora chaser or hoping to see the Northern Lights for the first time, Aurora Forecast puts real-time space weather and a live community of aurora watchers in your pocket. — Subscription Details • Aurora Pro (Monthly): $2.99/month • Aurora Pro (Yearly): $12.99/year • Aurora Ultimate (Monthly): $4.99/month • Aurora Ultimate (Yearly): $24.99/year Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://www.tinacinc.com/AuroraForecast/privacy_policy.html Terms of Use: https://www.tinacinc.com/AuroraForecast/terms_of_conditions.html

About

Fireguard Wildfire Tracker

This app provides near real-time wildfire tracking using satellite data from multiple authoritative sources. It offers detailed worldwide and US-specific layers, including fire detections, perimeters, smoke plumes, and air quality. Users can monitor multiple map areas and access detailed incident information.

Highlights
  • Satellite hotspot detections
  • Worldwide and US-specific fire layers
  • Active fire perimeters
  • Smoke plume tracking
  • Air Quality Index monitoring
  • Live fire camera feeds
  • Push notifications for new incidents
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Track wildfire activity in near real-time on a single, layered map, and get fire alerts when satellites detect a new hotspot near the places you watch. Fireguard pulls data from NASA, NOAA, NIFC, NWS, and other authoritative sources so you can see what's burning, where it's headed, and how conditions are changing. WORLDWIDE LAYERS • Satellite hotspot detections from Suomi-NPP, NOAA-20, NOAA-21 (VIIRS 375 m) and Terra (MODIS 1 km) • Satellite ground-track overlays showing upcoming sensor passes • Low-confidence hotspot filter to reduce false positives UNITED STATES LAYERS • GOES geostationary fire detections • Active fire perimeters and WFIGS interagency boundaries • InciWeb incidents, wildland dispatch reports, and new-start ignitions • ICS-209 large-incident tracking with assigned resources • Satellite-derived emerging fire polygons • Cal Fire California incidents • NOAA smoke plume areas • Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, and SPC Day 1 Outlook • Dry thunderstorm risk areas • Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring stations with PM2.5 and ozone • Live fire camera feeds (ALERTCalifornia) • Real-time traffic conditions INTERNATIONAL LAYERS • Canada active wildfires by province (NRCan CWFIS) • Australia NSW Rural Fire Service major incidents • Europe, Mediterranean, and Middle East fire perimeters (EFFIS) DESIGNED FOR EVERYONE • No account, login, or subscription required • Monitor up to 3 map areas at once — pick a city or use your current location • Tap any marker or polygon for a detailed breakdown with source links • Toggle layers on or off to build the view you need Anyone in or near a fire-prone area — residents, first responders, ranchers, travelers, or people watching out for family — gets a clearer picture of what's happening, faster. Fire alerts follow satellite passes: detections typically arrive 1–4 hours after a fire starts. Fireguard is not an official warning system. Always follow instructions from local authorities.

Screenshots

Aurora Forecast.4 screens
Fireguard Wildfire Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Aurora Forecast. at Free against Fireguard Wildfire Tracker's $9.99. Aurora Forecast. also leads on ratings volume (4.8K vs 5) and review sentiment (32% vs 8%). Fireguard Wildfire Tracker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On rating, update cadence, ads and chart position 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

Aurora Forecast. is free to download; Fireguard Wildfire Tracker costs $9.99 up front. Aurora Forecast. sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Fireguard Wildfire Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Aurora Forecast. against 4.6 for Fireguard Wildfire Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aurora Forecast. has 4.8K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 32% of Aurora Forecast.'s written reviews are positive against 8% of Fireguard Wildfire Tracker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aurora Forecast. ships an update weekly, Fireguard Wildfire Tracker every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Aurora Forecast. versus Fireguard Wildfire Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAurora Forecast.Fireguard Wildfire Tracker
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating4.6 (4.8K ratings)4.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews32.0% of reviews — better8.3% of reviews
Number of ratings4.8K — better5
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionPaid — better
Best chart rank#60 — better#177
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTINAC Inc.Qvyshift LLC

Customer experience

Aurora Forecast.

All ratings4,808 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral5.1%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews331 reviews
Positive32.0%
Neutral13.0%
Negative55.0%

Fireguard Wildfire Tracker

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative83.3%

Bugs and requests

Aurora Forecast.

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Forecast data not updating
  • App crashing on startup
  • Incorrect location data
  • Alerts not working as intended

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for Southern Hemisphere aurora
  • Improve location-based forecasting and alerts
  • Provide more user-friendly explanations of data and graphs
  • Allow customization of notification settings
  • Expand coverage to include more regions

Fireguard Wildfire Tracker

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Aurora Forecast.

Subscriptions4
  • Alerts (Monthly)3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Aurora Ultimate Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Aurora Alerts(Yearly)7 Days trial$12.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Aurora Ultimate Pro (Yearly)3 Days trial$19.991 Year
None

Fireguard Wildfire Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aurora Forecast. free?
Aurora Forecast. is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Fireguard Wildfire Tracker free?
Fireguard Wildfire Tracker costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Aurora Forecast. or Fireguard Wildfire Tracker?
Aurora Forecast. and Fireguard Wildfire Tracker are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4.8K and 5 ratings respectively.
Do Aurora Forecast. or Fireguard Wildfire Tracker have ads?
Neither Aurora Forecast. nor Fireguard Wildfire Tracker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aurora Forecast. or Fireguard Wildfire Tracker?
Aurora Forecast. ships an update weekly, and Fireguard Wildfire Tracker every 8 days. Most recently, Aurora Forecast. was updated on October 16, 2026 and Fireguard Wildfire Tracker on October 13, 2026.
Which is more popular, Aurora Forecast. or Fireguard Wildfire Tracker?
Aurora Forecast. currently peaks at #60 in the App Store charts, and Fireguard Wildfire Tracker at #177. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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