# Aurora Compass vs Aurora Forecast Now

The clearest difference is monetization model: Aurora Compass at free against Aurora Forecast Now's freemium. Aurora Compass also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aurora Compass sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Aurora Forecast Now sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Aurora Compass against 4.8 for Aurora Forecast Now. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 6 respectively.

Aurora Compass ships an update every 5 weeks, Aurora Forecast Now monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aurora Compass | Aurora Forecast Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-compass/id6446504259/reviews) | [4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-forecast-now/id6740797529/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 67 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Otto Ranta-Ojala](https://appshunter.io/developer/1678149884) | [Fascinating Projects](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689975869) |

## What reviewers say

### Aurora Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-compass/id6446504259)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pastel Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Black and White Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pink Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Purple Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| IBM Color Palette | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mint Color Palette | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Color Palette | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Color Palette | $29.99 | one-time |


### Aurora Forecast Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-forecast-now/id6740797529)

This app provides personalized aurora visibility forecasts for any location worldwide. It adjusts for local light conditions and geomagnetic activity, offering real-time and advanced predictions for aurora viewing.

**Highlights:** Personalized aurora visibility forecasts, Location-specific adjustments, Real-time aurora reporting, Advanced 3-day forecast (premium), Geomagnetic activity tracking, Rarity rating for activity, Historic geomagnetic data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aurora Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Aurora Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aurora Compass free?

Aurora Compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Aurora Forecast Now free?

Aurora Forecast Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Aurora Compass or Aurora Forecast Now?

Aurora Compass and Aurora Forecast Now are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 9 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do Aurora Compass or Aurora Forecast Now have ads?

Neither Aurora Compass nor Aurora Forecast Now shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aurora Compass or Aurora Forecast Now?

Aurora Compass ships an update every 5 weeks, and Aurora Forecast Now monthly. Most recently, Aurora Compass was updated on October 15, 2026 and Aurora Forecast Now on October 6, 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.*