Comparison

Cloud Point vs Clear Outside

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

Head to head
About

Cloud Point

Identify cloud types instantly by taking a photo. Learn about weather patterns, capture stunning sky photography, and connect with a global community of sky enthusiasts. Turn everyday moments into mindful sky-watching experiences.

Highlights
  • Instant cloud identification via photo
  • Sky and cloud photography
  • Learn about cloud types and weather
  • Join a cloud-spotting community
  • Document atmospheric moments
  • Mindful sky-watching experiences
Read full description

Snap the sky and Cloud Point tells you what you're looking at in seconds. Then the fun starts: collect all 52 cloud types, hunt down the rare ones and climb through the atmosphere, one sighting at a time. IDENTIFY CLOUDS IN SECONDS Take a photo or pick one from your library. Cloud Point's AI names each cloud type it can see, even when there are several in one shot, and shows how confident it is. Confirm what you spotted, add a note and save it to your collection. COLLECT ALL 52 Your Cloud Collection holds 52 cloud types and sky phenomena, from everyday cumulus to rare mammatus, asperitas, noctilucent clouds and the green flash. Every type you confirm fills a space in your collection, and a rare find gets a celebration all of its own. ASCEND THE ATMOSPHERE Every sighting earns points that carry you up 11 ranks, from Grounded to Noctilucent Legend. Take on 9 Expeditions (like The Big Three: cumulus, stratus and cirrus) and plant a flag on your climb for each one you complete. PLAY CLOUD MATCH A quick 10-question quiz with four ways to play: name the cloud, find the photo, spot the odd one out and pick the higher cloud. It's the easiest way to learn the sky without studying, and your first five correct answers each day earn rank points. A NEW CLOUD EVERY WEEK Each week features one cloud to learn about and hunt for, with a weekly quiz to test yourself. Catch it before the week is out to fill that week in your Sky Log: 52 weeks, 52 clouds. SHARE YOUR SKIES Join cloud spotters around the world. Share your photos, see sightings on the map, vote on identifications, comment on each other's skies and see how you rank on the weekly leaderboard. YOUR POCKET CLOUD ATLAS Explore all 52 types with photos, time-lapses, altitude and rarity, the meaning behind each Latin name, and what each cloud tells you about the weather on its way. Made for the curious: nature lovers, sky photographers, students, walkers, sailors and anyone who likes to look up. CLOUD POINT PREMIUM Cloud Point is free to download and try, with a free allowance of identifications and uploads. Premium unlocks unlimited identifications and uploads, removes ads and lets you choose your own username with a verified tick. The yearly plan includes a free trial for eligible new subscribers. Fair use applies to Premium identifications and uploads, so the service stays fast for everyone. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Cloud Point is made by one developer who loves clouds. Every update is shaped by spotters' feedback, so please get in touch from the app. Terms of Use: https://laurence-wayne.com/apps/cloud-point/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://laurence-wayne.com/apps/cloud-point/privacy-policy/ Some cloud photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors, CC BY / CC BY-SA.

About

Clear Outside

Get detailed, reliable weather forecasts specifically for astronomers, focusing on cloud cover. Track astronomical events like moon and sun times, darkness periods, and ISS passes. Save multiple locations for quick access to crucial data.

Highlights
  • Seven-day hourly cloud cover forecasts
  • Regular weather data (wind, rain, temperature)
  • Moon and sun rise/set times
  • Civil/nautical/astronomical darkness periods
  • ISS pass-over information
  • Save and manage multiple locations
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Reliable weather forecasts for astronomers with an emphasis on cloud cover. Key Features Weather Forecasts • Seven day hourly forecasts, updated hourly • Low, medium, high and total cloud cover • Regular weather data (wind, rain, frost, temperature, dew point, etc) • Covers daytime too - ideal for solar observers and imagers Astronomical Information • Moon rise/set times and phase • Sun rise/set and transit times • Civil/nautical/astronomical darkness periods • International Space Station (ISS) pass-over information with precise timing for your location Location Management • Set and save your home location for quick access • Add locations manually or use location services for automatic positioning • Search for locations worldwide • Save multiple favourite locations for easy switching • All location data stored locally on your device Why Clearoutside? Updated hourly, because frequent updates matter! Often the clear spell between showers provides excellent seeing, and 30 minutes under a clear sky with a grab-and-go telescope is pure gold. Our favourite feature? The ISS pass-over information is precisely calculated for your location and displayed alongside cloud forecasts, making it easier than ever to catch the station overhead. No cutesy graphics - just detailed, reliable weather data presented clearly for serious observers. We've had a lot of fun building and testing Clear Outside and are keen to develop it further. If you find it useful or have suggestions, please let us know!

Screenshots

Cloud Point4 screens
Clear Outside3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cloud Point at 4.7 against Clear Outside's 4.2. Cloud Point also leads on ratings volume (48 vs 10). Clear Outside's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support 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. Cloud Point sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Clear Outside asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cloud Point holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Cloud Point's written reviews are positive against 71% of Clear Outside's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cloud Point ships an update every 10 days, Clear Outside every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Cloud Point versus Clear Outside: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCloud PointClear Outside
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (48 ratings) — better4.2 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings48 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#184 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaurence WayneFirst Light Optics

Customer experience

Cloud Point

All ratings48 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

Clear Outside

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Cloud Point

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Subscription$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium Subscription7 Days trial$24.991 Year
None

Clear Outside

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cloud Point free?
Cloud Point is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Clear Outside free?
Clear Outside is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cloud Point or Clear Outside?
Cloud Point is rated higher. Cloud Point averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Clear Outside averages 4.2 from 10 ratings.
Do Cloud Point or Clear Outside have ads?
Cloud Point shows ads; Clear Outside does not.
Which is updated more often, Cloud Point or Clear Outside?
Cloud Point ships an update every 10 days, and Clear Outside every 2 weeks. Most recently, Cloud Point was updated on October 25, 2026 and Clear Outside on October 25, 2026.

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