Comparison

Borealis vs Luminous

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

Head to head
About

Borealis

Features
Read full description

See the northern lights at the right time and place with Borealis, your personal aurora tracker and forecast. Premium and ad free. Top features + AI Aurora Predictions based on space weather and solar wind data + Smart Aurora Alerts when the Northern Lights are likely, anywhere in the world + Interactive Map to tap anywhere and check aurora conditions + Live aurora webcams from top viewing regions How it works Borealis uses real‑time geomagnetic data to estimate aurora chances by location. It also factors in space weather signals, including solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field readings from satellites, to calculate the probability. Whether you’re planning a trip, chasing the perfect photo, or just hoping to catch a glimpse from home, Borealis helps you catch the lights without guessing. Download Borealis and plan your next aurora night.

About

Luminous

This app tracks real-time UV levels and your daily sun exposure to help you protect your skin and stay healthy. It offers smart notifications and integrates with Apple Health for comprehensive wellness tracking.

Highlights
  • Real-time UV measurement
  • Automatic exposure tracking
  • Smart UV notifications
  • Apple Health integration
  • Winter sun exposure tracking
Features
Read full description

Your skin needs the right amount of sun. Not too much, not too little. Luminous measures real-time UV levels and tracks your daily exposure, so you can protect your skin, boost your mood, and stay healthy all year round. - Real-time UV measurement so you always know what you're stepping into - Automatic exposure tracking via Apple Watch or in-app timers - Smart notifications when UV levels become harmful, or when you've hit your daily goal - Apple Health integration to keep all your wellness data in one place - Stay on top of sun exposure in winter, when healthy light is hardest to come by You can find more about the standard End user license agreement here: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Borealis4 screens
Luminous4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Luminous at none against Borealis's shown. Luminous also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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. Borealis sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Luminous sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Borealis ships an update every 5 days, Luminous every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Borealis versus Luminous: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBorealisLuminous
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperViktor GidleafTrevor Grady

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Borealis

One-time4
  • Borealis Pro 1$0.49
  • Borealis Pro 2$3.99
  • Borealis Pro 3$7.99
Show 1 more
  • Borealis Pro 4$11.99
3 purchases

Luminous

Subscriptions3
  • Plus Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Luminous Plus Annual$12.991 Year
  • Annual14 Days trial$12.991 Year

Questions

Is Borealis free?
Borealis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Luminous free?
Luminous is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Borealis or Luminous have ads?
Borealis shows ads; Luminous does not.
Which is updated more often, Borealis or Luminous?
Borealis ships an update every 5 days, and Luminous every 10 days. Most recently, Borealis was updated on October 16, 2026 and Luminous on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons