Comparison

Northern Lights Tracker vs Aurora Forecast

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Real-time aurora forecasts
  • Location-based predictions
  • KP index and cloud cover data
  • Customizable aurora alerts
  • Global aurora map
  • Aurora viewing tips
Features
Currently charting
Read 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

Northern Lights Tracker4 screens
Aurora Forecast4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Northern Lights Tracker versus Aurora Forecast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNorthern Lights TrackerAurora Forecast
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (191 ratings)4.6 (165 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings191 — better165
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#122 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMehmet Ali DemirAppelio

Customer experience

Northern Lights Tracker

All ratings187 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews50 reviews
Positive62.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative30.0%

Aurora Forecast

All ratings78 ratings
Positive91.0%
Neutral5.1%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

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

5 purchases

Northern Lights Tracker

Subscriptions4
  • Weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • week$3.997 Days
  • month3 Days trial$5.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • year$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$49.99
6 purchases

Aurora Forecast

Subscriptions5
  • 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 more
  • Aurora Yearly Free Trial7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Aurora Forecast Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Northern Lights Tracker$19.99

Questions

Is Northern Lights Tracker free?
Northern Lights Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aurora Forecast free?
Aurora Forecast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Northern Lights Tracker or Aurora Forecast?
Aurora Forecast is rated higher. Northern Lights Tracker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 191 ratings, while Aurora Forecast averages 4.6 from 165 ratings.
Do Northern Lights Tracker or Aurora Forecast have ads?
Neither Northern Lights Tracker nor Aurora Forecast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Northern Lights Tracker or Aurora Forecast?
Northern Lights Tracker ships an update every 3 weeks, and Aurora Forecast monthly. Most recently, Northern Lights Tracker was updated on November 4, 2026 and Aurora Forecast on November 5, 2026.

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