# Northern Lights Tracker vs Aurora Forecast

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Northern Lights Tracker | Aurora Forecast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (191 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northern-lights-tracker/id6569249780/reviews) | **[4.6 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-forecast-borealis-map/id6752933257/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **191** | 165 |
| Positive reviews | **62.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#122** |
| Size | 50 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mehmet Ali Demir](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631537417) | [Appelio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1616494815) |

## What reviewers say

### Northern Lights Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northern-lights-tracker/id6569249780)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| week | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| month | $5.99 | per month |
| year | $34.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for tracking trips
- 👍 Good for Aurora tracking
- 👍 Accurate for location
- 👍 Helps plan trips
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Not free, useless without payment
- 🐛 App crashes
- 💸 Misleading pricing, charged unexpectedly
- 🐛 Notifications are bogus/inaccurate
- 🐛 Enable Notifications shuts off

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aurora-forecast-borealis-map/id6752933257)

**Currently charting:** #122 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aurora Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Aurora Weekly Free Trial | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Aurora Yearly Free Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Aurora Yearly Free Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Aurora Forecast Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Northern Lights Tracker | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*