Northern Lights Tracker vs Aurora Forecast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Northern Lights Tracker
This app provides real-time predictions and forecasts for the aurora borealis using NOAA space weather data. It helps users find the best viewing locations and times, offering smart alerts and interactive maps for an optimal aurora hunting experience.
- Real-time aurora probability
- NOAA-powered KP index
- Interactive global aurora maps
- Best viewing location recommendations
- Space weather data monitoring
- Smart aurora alerts
- Apple Watch integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
Never miss the northern lights again. Northern Lights Tracker tells you whether tonight is worth going out, when to look and where to go. It turns live NOAA space weather data into one clear aurora chance for your exact location. Tonight at a Glance • Aurora chance for your location, updated live • A clear verdict, from "Go look now" to "Not tonight", with activity, solar wind, moon and cloud factors • Best viewing time and the best 2-hour window • Current Kp index and a 3-day Kp outlook • Search any place and save your favorite spots • Share tonight's forecast with friends Aurora Alerts Get notified when the aurora is likely where you are. Choose a chance alert, a Kp alert, a storm early warning up to 24 hours ahead, or a solar wind (Bz) alert with your own threshold. Chance and solar wind alerts wait until it is dark, and quiet hours keep your nights undisturbed. Storm and solar wind alerts can arrive as time-sensitive notifications, with your choice of sound or vibration. You decide how often the app checks: every 15, 30, 60 or 180 minutes. Lock Screen, Widgets and Apple Watch • Home Screen widgets with chance, Kp, peak time and a 12-hour chart • Lock Screen widgets • Live Activity: follow tonight's chance on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island • Apple Watch app with your chance and Kp at a glance, plus watch face complications • Ask Siri for tonight's aurora chance without opening the app Space Weather in Detail • Hour-by-hour aurora chance for the next 24 hours • Tonight's Sky: sunset, dark hours, sunrise and moon phase, including polar night and midnight sun • Cloud cover from Apple Weather • Solar wind: Bz, total field, speed and density, with charts for the last 3 hours • 27-day Kp outlook to plan trips weeks ahead Map and Best Places • Live map of the NOAA aurora oval. Long-press anywhere to check the chance there • 15 top aurora destinations ranked by tonight's chance, with distance from you: Tromsø, Svalbard, Rovaniemi, Inari, Sodankylä, Reykjavik, Kiruna, Abisko, Jokkmokk, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Yellowknife, Churchill, Murmansk and Nuuk • Open any spot in Apple Maps or Google Maps for directions Aurora AI Ask in your own words, like "Should I go out tonight?" Aurora AI answers from the live forecast, privately on your device. Requires Apple Intelligence on a supported device. More • Personalized setup: a short quiz tunes your alerts to the way you watch the sky • Forecast history • 11 aurora wallpapers • Works offline with your last forecast • Available in 46 languages Northern Lights Tracker Pro unlocks all alerts, detailed sky and space weather data, and unlimited use of every feature. Privacy: https://sites.google.com/view/aurora-forecast-tracker/main Terms: https://sites.google.com/view/aurora-forecast-tracker-terms/main
Aurora Forecast
Track the Northern Lights with real-time forecasts and smart alerts. Get detailed information on aurora activity, KP index, and visibility for your location, helping you plan the perfect viewing experience.
- Real-time aurora forecasts
- Location-based predictions
- KP index and cloud cover data
- Customizable aurora alerts
- Global aurora map
- Aurora viewing tips
Read full descriptionHide full description
Spot Northern Lights easily with Aurora Forecast App. This app gives you everything you need to know. When, where, and how likely you are to see the aurora, wherever you are in the world. Whether you’re chasing the aurora in Iceland, hoping for a rare display in your hometown, or planning a photography trip to the Arctic Circle, this app keeps you fully prepared with accurate, real-time forecasts and smart alerts. - Real-time aurora forecasts tailored to your location - Live KP index, cloud cover, and visibility data - Solar wind stats ands more - Customizable alerts when aurora activity is expected near you - Forecasts for the future - Global aurora map - Aurora viewing tips and best current locations - Simple, sleek design Built for travelers, photographers, and anyone who doesn’t want to miss the next aurora, this app helps you stay one step ahead and catch the magic when it happens. Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CYJ_YEK2fZHzfMJntkommHBqIdkYoGnQ2lnCUt52C88/ Terms of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MvMhZJsr14RA3JatJtIHj-GpTCITxJ1a7NMfelop3wk/
Screenshots
Verdict
Northern Lights Tracker and Aurora Forecast both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 62% of Northern Lights Tracker's written reviews are positive against 50% of Aurora Forecast's. Northern Lights Tracker also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Aurora Forecast's advantage is chart position (#122 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Northern Lights Tracker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Aurora Forecast sells 6 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 — 4.6 for Northern Lights Tracker against 4.6 for Aurora Forecast. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 191 and 165 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Northern Lights Tracker's written reviews are positive against 50% of Aurora Forecast's.
Northern Lights Tracker ships an update every 3 weeks, Aurora Forecast monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Northern Lights Tracker | Aurora Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (191 ratings) | 4.6 (165 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 191 — better | 165 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #122 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mehmet Ali Demir | Appelio |
Customer experience
Northern Lights Tracker
Aurora Forecast
Bugs and requests
Northern Lights Tracker
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes out of nowhere
- Phone part of app shows 0%
- Enable Notifications continuously shuts itself OFF
- Data seems outdated and freezes
- App crashes in Norway
Requested features
5 requests- Add widgets
- Correlate probability to times
- Show probability over time (next 24 hours)
- Allow setting threshold for 'good chance' notifications
- Show readings for around the world
Aurora Forecast
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Northern Lights Tracker
- Weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
- week$3.997 Days
- month3 Days trial$5.991 Month
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- year$34.991 Year
- Lifetime Premium$49.99
Aurora Forecast
- Aurora Weekly$4.997 Days
- Aurora Weekly Free Trial7 Days trial2 variants$9.997 Days
- Aurora Yearly Free Trial3 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Aurora Yearly Free Trial7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Aurora Forecast Yearly$49.991 Year
- Northern Lights Tracker$19.99
Questions
Is Northern Lights Tracker free?
Is Aurora Forecast free?
Which has better reviews, Northern Lights Tracker or Aurora Forecast?
Do Northern Lights Tracker or Aurora Forecast have ads?
Which is updated more often, Northern Lights Tracker or Aurora Forecast?
Other comparisons















