Comparison

Aurora Compass vs Aurora Notifier

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

Head to head
About

Aurora Compass

This app provides aurora forecasts and alerts, helping users find the best conditions to see the northern or southern lights. It offers detailed space weather data, real-time geomagnetic activity, and a cloudiness filter for accurate predictions.

Highlights
  • Aurora alert notifications
  • Geomagnetic activity tracking
  • Aurora forecast map
  • Real-time aurora probability
  • Solar image animation
  • Cloudiness forecast
  • Darkness tool
Features
Read full description

Aurora Compass is a free aurora and space weather forecast app with no ads or paywalls. With it, you'll get all the data you need to catch the northern or southern lights in a layout that’s simple for beginners, yet detailed for experienced aurora chasers. The main features include: • Aurora alert notifications with cloudiness filter • Near real-time geomagnetic activity from over 110 magnetometers • Aurora forecast map with observation sharing tool • Current and forecasted aurora probability in your location • Solar image animation with x-ray chart and solar regions • WSA-Enlil solar wind forecast animation • Darkness tool to see when it'll be dark • Moon rise, set and phase information • Cloudiness forecast • Solar wind charts • Kp forecasts • Color theme for people with red-green colorblindness

About

Aurora Notifier

Receive alerts for potential aurora sightings with configurable thresholds for Kp-index and solar wind parameters. See user-submitted photos and real-time observation locations on a 3D globe. A premium version offers advanced technical data and hidden features.

Highlights
  • Aurora sighting notifications
  • Configurable alert thresholds
  • User-submitted aurora photos
  • Real-time observation map
  • Kp-index and solar wind data
  • Premium version with advanced features
Features
Read full description

Aurora notification app with observation reports. Finally available for iOS. This aurora notification app shows notifications when it may be possible to see the northern lights (aurora borealis / australis)! It provides configurable thresholds for local aurora probability, Kp-index (Hp30), solar wind parameters (Bz/Bt) and Kp-level forecast for the evening. It also allows you to be alerted when other app users nearby have seen the aurora light display. For the alert feature to work, other app users register aurora reports when they are successful hunting and get to see the aurora light display. This has proven to be quite successful. Many of the app users also upload pictures of northern lights when they see them, and in this app you can see these pictures. You can also see dots on a 3d-globe animation showing where people have just observed the light show. There are users in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand who regularly report their observations and upload pictures. Although the chances are greater if you live in Alaska, northern Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the southern tip of New Zealand etc, there are also regular opportunities in places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Montana, Michigan, Chicago, New York, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Baltics etc. The premium version which can be bought within the app itself offers some more technical information and graphs of Kp-index predictions, cloud cover and solar wind parameters - and some hidden features. The app has an associated X account (@aurora_notifier - https://x.com/aurora_notifier) and an Instagram account (@auroranotifierapp - https://www.instagram.com/auroranotifierapp). Consider following those.

Screenshots

Aurora Compass4 screens
Aurora Notifier3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Aurora Compass at 80% against Aurora Notifier's 0%. Aurora Compass also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Aurora Notifier's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Aurora Compass sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Aurora Notifier sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Aurora Compass holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Aurora Compass's written reviews are positive against 0% of Aurora Notifier's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aurora Compass ships an update monthly, Aurora Notifier every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Aurora Compass versus Aurora Notifier: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAurora CompassAurora Notifier
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (8 ratings) — better4.5 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better6
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOtto Ranta-OjalaNaturfakta AS

Customer experience

Aurora Compass

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Aurora Notifier

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Aurora Compass

One-time8
  • Pastel Color Palette$1.99
  • Black and White Palette$1.99
  • Pink Color Palette$1.99
Show 5 more
  • Purple Color Palette$1.99
  • IBM Color Palette$1.99
  • Mint Color Palette$4.99
  • Gold Color Palette$9.99
  • Diamond Color Palette$29.99
2 purchases

Aurora Notifier

One-time2
  • Premium upgrade$2.99
  • Premium$3.99

Questions

Is Aurora Compass free?
Aurora Compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aurora Notifier free?
Aurora Notifier is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Aurora Compass or Aurora Notifier?
Aurora Compass is rated higher. Aurora Compass averages 4.8 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Aurora Notifier averages 4.5 from 6 ratings.
Do Aurora Compass or Aurora Notifier have ads?
Neither Aurora Compass nor Aurora Notifier shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aurora Compass or Aurora Notifier?
Aurora Compass ships an update monthly, and Aurora Notifier every 5 days. Most recently, Aurora Compass was updated on September 10, 2026 and Aurora Notifier on September 13, 2026.

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