# Weather Radar vs Lightning Tracker

The clearest difference is update cadence: Weather Radar at fortnightly against Lightning Tracker's every 4 months. Weather Radar also leads on ratings volume (252K vs 604) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). Lightning Tracker's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 55%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Weather Radar sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.39 per month and Lightning Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Weather Radar holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Weather Radar has 252K ratings behind it against 604, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of Weather Radar's written reviews are positive against 75% of Lightning Tracker's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Weather Radar ships an update fortnightly, Lightning Tracker every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Weather Radar | Lightning Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (252K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-radar-noaa-channel/id649264704/reviews)** | [4.3 (604 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id1473753714/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **252K** | 604 |
| Positive reviews | 55.0% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | — |
| Size | 249 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Impala Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063279743) | [Elecont LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/401533969) |

## What reviewers say

### Weather Radar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-radar-noaa-channel/id649264704)

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Grossing · Weather, #113 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get personalized weather insights, including what to wear and when rain will start. Live radar shows approaching storms with precise timing, and severe weather alerts provide actionable advice. Offers daily forecasts, NOAA advisories, and rain timing for the next 15 minutes.

**Highlights:** Personalized weather insights, Live radar with rain timing, Severe weather alerts, Daily and 7-day forecasts, NOAA advisories, Hurricane tracker (premium)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-free experience | $1.39 | per month |
| Premium Member Monthly | $2.19 | per month |
| Get Premium Weather Info | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Ora+ Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| All Weather Radar for 1 Week | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weather Radar Premium 1 Week | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weather Radar Forecast - 6Mo. | $7.99 | per 6 months |
| NOAA Radar - Weather & Alerts | $11.99 | per year |
| Premium Features Yearly Tier | $12.99 | per year |
| All premium for 1 Year | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌐 Worldwide weather coverage
- 📊 Detailed weather charts and graphs
- ⚠️ Accurate weather alerts and warnings
- 🕰️ Hourly and daily forecasts
- 🌤️ Reliable real-time radar

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription required for full features
- 🔍 Inaccurate location detection
- 🔌 Drains battery quickly
- 🤖 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 📢 Intrusive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Radar not working or showing outdated information
- Weather data not updating in real-time
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Add weather warnings for Canada and other countries
- Improve radar coverage and accuracy
- Provide more customization options
- Fix issues with widget functionality


### Lightning Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker/id1473753714)

Visualize real-time lightning strikes across North and South America on a dynamic map. Receive predictive alerts for strike patterns and intensity, with estimated arrival times for your location. Monitor current and historical lightning activity to stay informed and protected.

**Highlights:** Live lightning map, Real-time strike visualization, Predictive lightning alerts, Estimated time of arrival (ETA) for strikes, Monitor saved locations, 6-hour strike history

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads & Limits | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and real-time lightning tracking
- 👍 Helpful for safety and planning outdoor activities
- 💡 Useful for weather monitoring and storm tracking
- ⭐ Excellent app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🚫 Lack of important features like distance, alerts, and history

**Reported bugs**

- App not detecting lightning strikes even when visible
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with app updates and functionality changes

**Requested features**

- Add distance/radius information for lightning strikes
- Implement push notifications/alerts for lightning within a certain radius
- Provide historical data and the ability to view past lightning activity
- Improve overall app stability and performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Weather Radar free?

Weather Radar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lightning Tracker free?

Lightning Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Weather Radar or Lightning Tracker?

Weather Radar is rated higher. Weather Radar averages 4.6 out of 5 from 252K ratings, while Lightning Tracker averages 4.3 from 604 ratings.

### Do Weather Radar or Lightning Tracker have ads?

Both Weather Radar and Lightning Tracker show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Weather Radar or Lightning Tracker?

Weather Radar ships an update fortnightly, and Lightning Tracker every 4 months. Most recently, Weather Radar was updated on November 10, 2026 and Lightning Tracker on November 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.*