Comparison

Solar Weather vs Aurora Watcher

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

Head to head
About

Solar Weather

Monitor magnetic storms and moon phases with real-time magnetosphere data and forecasts. Receive push notifications for disturbed magnetosphere conditions and track full and new moon times.

Highlights
  • Magnetic storm monitoring
  • Magnetosphere scale (1-10)
  • 3-day magnetosphere history
  • 24-hour magnetosphere forecast
  • 27-day magnetosphere forecast
  • Push notifications for disturbed magnetosphere
  • Moon phase tracking
Features
Read full description

Solar Weather brings real-time space weather monitoring to your pocket. Track the planetary Kp-index, forecast magnetic storms, and follow moon phases — all in one beautifully designed app. SOLAR WIND See the solar wind that drives it all — speed, plus the all-important Bz and Bt magnetic field straight from NOAA's DSCOVR satellite, with a 24-hour Bz trend. A southward Bz is the earliest sign that a storm and aurora are building. NOAA STORM SCALES Follow the three official NOAA scales at a glance — geomagnetic storms (G), solar radiation storms (S) and radio blackouts (R) — with a 3-day outlook. Turn on alerts for radiation storms and radio blackouts, too. REAL-TIME KP-INDEX Monitor the current geomagnetic activity level on a clear 0–9 scale with color-coded status. See hourly charts for the last 24 hours and spot trends at a glance. STORM FORECASTS View 24-hour and 27-day geomagnetic forecasts sourced from NOAA. Know when the next magnetic storm is coming before it affects your health, electronics, or aurora visibility. MOON PHASE CALENDAR Browse an interactive monthly calendar showing the moon phase for every day. Tap any date to see the lunar day, illumination percentage, and days until the next full or new moon. SMART NOTIFICATIONS Choose exactly which alerts matter to you: • Magnetosphere excited (Kp 2–3) • Magnetic storm detected (Kp 4+) • Severe storm warning (Kp 7+) • Full moon — 2 days, 1 day, or day-of • New moon — 2 days, 1 day, or day-of EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES Learn what the magnetosphere is, how K-index works, how geomagnetic storms affect health, and why the aurora borealis happens. ASK SIRI Just ask Siri — “Is there a magnetic storm?”, “What's the moon phase?” or “What's the solar activity?” — for an instant answer. The same shortcuts work from Spotlight and the Shortcuts app. WIDGETS & LIVE ACTIVITY Keep the current Kp-index, aurora chance, and moon phase on your Home and Lock Screen. When a magnetic storm is underway, a Live Activity shows live readings on your Lock Screen and in StandBy. FEATURES • Real-time Kp-index with hourly bar charts • 24-hour and 27-day storm forecasts from NOAA • Interactive moon phase calendar • 11 configurable push notification types • Real-time solar wind (speed, Bz, Bt) with a 24-hour trend • Official NOAA G/S/R storm scales with a 3-day outlook • Offline moon calculations — works without internet • Dark theme designed for space weather • Available in 17 languages • Ask Siri & Spotlight — storms, moon phase, solar activity • Home Screen & Lock Screen widgets, plus a storm Live Activity • Apple Watch app • Optimized for iPhone and iPad • Built-in knowledge hub with an illustrated glossary • No ads. No tracking. Free forever.

About

Aurora Watcher

This app helps you find and track the Northern Lights in Canada. It provides real-time aurora observability, forecasts for cities, and global geomagnetic activity. An interactive map shows the best viewing locations worldwide.

Highlights
  • Real-time aurora observability
  • City-specific aurora forecasts
  • Global geomagnetic activity tracking
  • Detailed sky and weather conditions
  • Interactive viewing location map
Read full description

Aurora Watcher is your all-in-one guide for chasing the Northern Lights in Canada. Check real-time aurora observability and forecast for individual cities, track global geomagnetic activity, and explore detailed sky and weather conditions. Use the interactive map to instantly find the best viewing locations near you — or anywhere in the world. Whether you're an enthusiast, a traveller, or a seasoned aurora hunter, Aurora Watcher keeps you one step ahead of the sky.

Screenshots

Solar Weather4 screens
Aurora Watcher4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Aurora Watcher at fortnightly against Solar Weather's every 6 weeks. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solar Weather ships an update every 6 weeks, Aurora Watcher fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Solar Weather versus Aurora Watcher: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar WeatherAurora Watcher
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews12.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrey SapunovAuraxis Technologies Inc.

In-app purchases

None

Solar Weather

No in-app purchases

None

Aurora Watcher

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Solar Weather free?
Solar Weather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aurora Watcher free?
Aurora Watcher is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Solar Weather or Aurora Watcher have ads?
Neither Solar Weather nor Aurora Watcher shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Solar Weather or Aurora Watcher?
Solar Weather ships an update every 6 weeks, and Aurora Watcher fortnightly. Most recently, Solar Weather was updated on October 24, 2026 and Aurora Watcher on October 12, 2026.

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