Live Lightning vs LightningMaps
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Live Lightning
Track real-time lightning strikes across Europe. View current lightning maps and save historical data. Follow lightning evolution with a minimal time delay.
- Real-time lightning display
- Europe area coverage
- Save lightning history
- Reload lightning maps
- Near real-time tracking
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This application allows to display in real time the lightning impact of the Europe area (only). The data are kindly provided by http://www.blitzortung.org. It also permits to save the current lightning history and reload a particular lightning maps. It can be useful to follow the lightning evolution in near real time (around 5 minutes of time shift). Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
LightningMaps
Pinpoint the exact location and distance of real-life lightning strikes using your phone's sensors. Simply tap when you see a flash and again when you hear thunder to instantly reveal the strike's coordinates. It's like having a personal lightning detector in your pocket.
- Pinpoint lightning strike locations
- Measure distance to strikes
- Intuitive tap-based interface
- Real-time tracking
- Safety guidelines included
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Unleash Your Inner Thor with LightningMaps! With LightningMaps, you can harness the power of Thor himself. The app takes your current location as a reference point, enabling you to pinpoint real life lightning strikes with unmatched precision. Here's how it works: Step 1: When you spot that electrifying flash in the sky, tap your screen. Step 2: Aim your phone in the direction of the lightning, channeling your inner god of thunder and Tap again when the thunder roars. LightningMaps works its magic, revealing the lightning's exact location in an instant. It's like carrying your very own lightning rod right in your pocket! You see the lightning location and the distance from you. So, feel like Thor and conquer the storm with LightningMasp. Lightning tracking has never been this electrifying! Note: LightningMaps prioritizes safety. Always adhere to safety guidelines when observing thunderstorms.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: LightningMaps at 5.0 against Live Lightning's 2.9. Live Lightning's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
LightningMaps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Live Lightning has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Live Lightning ships an update monthly, LightningMaps every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Live Lightning | LightningMaps |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (10 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 8 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bertrand Kerautret | Andrii Rudenko |
Customer experience
Live Lightning
LightningMaps
Bugs and requests
Live Lightning
Reported bugs
19 issues- Connection loss errors
- Widget disappeared after iOS 18 update
- Alerts not functioning for years
- App doesn't detect lightning even when close
- No notifications received if app is not active
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- No notifications or nearby strikes during a storm
- App doesn't launch
- App not connecting to server
- Previous strikes don't always draw on map
- App crashes after receiving data
- App crashes when editing settings
- App crashes on zoom/orientation change
- Map locked without unlock option
- App shows incorrect location (e.g., Africa, Atlantic)
- App shows very old or static data (e.g., 6 strikes)
- App broken on iOS 7
- No map showing, only strikes
- Badge is annoying, flash signs too large
- Distance radius difficult to adjust
Requested features
10 requests- Update app for iOS 18 widget
- Implement working alerts/notifications
- Fix connection issues
- Improve accuracy of lightning detection
- Convert times to local time
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- Add contact option for developers
- Improve German translation
- Allow zooming and orientation changes without crashing
- Add a color scale for detection time
- Notification on icon based on distance filter
LightningMaps
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Live Lightning
No in-app purchases
LightningMaps
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Live Lightning free?
Is LightningMaps free?
Which has better reviews, Live Lightning or LightningMaps?
Do Live Lightning or LightningMaps have ads?
Which is updated more often, Live Lightning or LightningMaps?
Other comparisons
