Comparison

LightningMaps vs Weatherpilot

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Pinpoint lightning strike locations
  • Measure distance to strikes
  • Intuitive tap-based interface
  • Real-time tracking
  • Safety guidelines included
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Weatherpilot

Features
Read full description

Weatherpilot brings the weather forecast into your travel planning. Plan a journey with multiple stops, check a single day trip, or compare alternative destinations for the same travel period. PLAN YOUR TRIPS Add a place and the relevant dates for every stop. Weatherpilot presents the forecast along your entire journey, clearly organized by travel day and location. COMPARE FLEXIBLE START DATES Start your trip on the exact planned date or include alternatives of ±1 or ±2 days. The complete journey moves together while all stays retain their duration. Weatherpilot compares the available forecasts and shows which start date appears most suitable based on your personal weather preferences. COMPARE PLACES Not sure where to go? Compare multiple places for the same travel period. Temperature, rain, and wind are evaluated using a common data basis. You can then turn a selected destination directly into a trip. CHECK DAY TRIPS QUICKLY “Check a Day Trip” takes you directly to the forecast for one place and date – ideal for weekend outings and spontaneous plans. DETAILED WEATHER INFORMATION For travel days with an available forecast, Weatherpilot provides: – clear daily summaries – hourly weather conditions – minimum and maximum temperatures – feels-like temperatures – precipitation probability and amount – wind speed and gusts – UV index – transparent weather insights PERSONAL WEATHER PREFERENCES Set your own thresholds for rain, wind, gusts, and temperature. Weatherpilot transparently uses these preferences when comparing flexible start dates. KNOW WHEN FORECASTS BECOME AVAILABLE If a trip is still outside the forecast range, Weatherpilot shows when forecasts are expected to become available. You can optionally receive a local notification when it is time to check. MORE FEATURES – weather cache with offline display – clear indication of weather data that is no longer current – Celsius or Fahrenheit – km/h or mph – Dark Mode – German and English interface – designed for iPhone and iPad – support for Dynamic Type and VoiceOver Weatherpilot is free to use, requires no account, and includes no subscription. Weather data is provided by Open-Meteo. Personal ratings and weather insights are intended to support travel planning. Weatherpilot does not provide official severe-weather warnings or safety guarantees.

Screenshots

LightningMaps2 screens
Weatherpilot4 screens

Verdict

The call

LightningMaps and Weatherpilot are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

LightningMaps ships an update every 8 months, Weatherpilot every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
LightningMaps versus Weatherpilot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightningMapsWeatherpilot
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrii RudenkoChristoph Gassl

In-app purchases

None

LightningMaps

No in-app purchases

None

Weatherpilot

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LightningMaps free?
LightningMaps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Weatherpilot free?
Weatherpilot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do LightningMaps or Weatherpilot have ads?
Neither LightningMaps nor Weatherpilot shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LightningMaps or Weatherpilot?
LightningMaps ships an update every 8 months, and Weatherpilot every 5 months. Most recently, LightningMaps was updated on October 8, 2026 and Weatherpilot on October 10, 2026.

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