# Lightning Camera vs Astro Stacker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightning Camera at 50% against Astro Stacker's 0%. Lightning Camera also leads on rating (4.3 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (40 vs 6). Astro Stacker's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lightning Camera sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Astro Stacker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lightning Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Camera has 40 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Lightning Camera's written reviews are positive against 0% of Astro Stacker's.

Lightning Camera ships an update every 2 weeks, Astro Stacker fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightning Camera | Astro Stacker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-camera-thundercatch/id6736884627/reviews)** | [1.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-stacker-star-images/id6753679598/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sezer Iltekin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1658372419) | [Ahmed Al-Mahmud](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844352476) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightning Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-camera-thundercatch/id6736884627)

This app automatically captures photos of lightning strikes as they happen. Simply open the application and let it detect and photograph lightning for you. It's designed for easy use by anyone interested in weather phenomena.

**Highlights:** Auto lightning detection, Automatic photo capture, Easy to use interface, No photography skills required, Weather fan tool

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ThunderCatch PRO Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| ThunderCatch PRO Annual | $12.99 | per year |
| ThunderCatch PRO Yearly | $12.99 | per year |
| ThunderCatch PRO Lifetime DC | $19.99 | one-time |
| ThunderCatch Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


### Astro Stacker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-stacker-star-images/id6753679598)

Transform your smartphone into a powerful astrophotography tool. This app uses advanced algorithms to combine multiple night sky photos, reducing noise and revealing hidden celestial details for professional-quality results.

**Highlights:** Advanced stacking algorithms (Average, Median, Maximum, Minimum), Intelligent and manual image alignment, Real-time processing and progress tracking, On-device processing, no cloud upload, Export high-resolution stacked images, Detailed processing insights and logs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AstroStacker app | $12.99 | per month |
| AstroStacker app | $99.99 | per year |
| AstroStacker app | $219.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightning Camera free?

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

### Is Astro Stacker free?

Astro Stacker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lightning Camera or Astro Stacker?

Lightning Camera is rated higher. Lightning Camera averages 4.3 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Astro Stacker averages 1.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Lightning Camera or Astro Stacker have ads?

Neither Lightning Camera nor Astro Stacker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightning Camera or Astro Stacker?

Lightning Camera ships an update every 2 weeks, and Astro Stacker fortnightly. Most recently, Lightning Camera was updated on October 23, 2026 and Astro Stacker on October 30, 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.*