Comparison

Tan Timer & Tracker vs Luminous

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

Head to head
About

Tan Timer & Tracker

This app monitors UV levels in real-time and provides hourly forecasts up to 7 days. It offers personalized advice based on skin type, smart background timers for sun exposure, and intelligent alerts for changing UV conditions. Create family profiles with custom settings for everyone's safety.

Highlights
  • Real-time UV index monitoring
  • 7-day UV index forecasts
  • Smart sun exposure timers
  • Personalized skin type advice
  • Family profiles
  • Apple Watch app and widgets
  • Intelligent UV alerts
Features
Read full description

Get the summer glow without the burn. UV Buddy is a tanning coach and a sunscreen reminder in one. It reads the UV right where you are, shows how long unprotected skin can take it, and keeps a reapply timer running for everyone in the family. GUIDED TAN SESSIONS Start a glow session and the app walks you through it: sunscreen on first, timed front and back flips, a refresh break, then hydrate. The length is built from your skin type and today's real UV, so you stop guessing how long is too long. NEVER MISS A REAPPLY Every family member gets their own reapply timer with an alarm that actually cuts through. Mark it applied, duck into the shade, and keep your SPF streak alive day after day. YOUR TAN, TRACKED Choose a glow goal and watch the sun minutes add up toward it, session by session. Add progress photos and see the change over weeks instead of guessing. TODAY AT A GLANCE Live UV for your exact spot, the hours it peaks, a 7 day forecast, the best windows to tan, and roughly how long bare skin lasts before it burns. Heading somewhere sunny? Look up any city before you pack. YOUR SUNSCREEN REPORT CARD A monthly card showing what you applied, what landed on time, and what slipped, plus your full tan history in one place. BUILT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY One profile per person, each with their own skin type, SPF and buddy character. Everyone's timers run at the same time, so nobody gets forgotten. ON EVERY DEVICE Home Screen widgets, Live Activities in the Dynamic Island, an Apple Watch app showing your timer, today's UV and your live glow session, Siri Shortcuts for hands free checks, and iCloud sync across your devices. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT No account needed. Your profiles sync through your own iCloud, and analytics are optional. Stop guessing. Stop burning. Start glowing. UV Buddy offers monthly and annual subscription plans. Prices are clearly displayed in the app. • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscriptions may be managed by the user, and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Legal: Privacy policy: https://uvbuddy.app/privacy Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

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

Tan Timer & Tracker4 screens
Luminous4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tan Timer & Tracker at 100% against Luminous's 50%. Luminous's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Tan Timer & Tracker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month 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

Tan Timer & Tracker ships an update every 9 days, Luminous every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Tan Timer & Tracker versus Luminous: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTan Timer & TrackerLuminous
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCARLOS FELIPE GARCIA MURILLOTrevor Grady

Customer experience

Tan Timer & Tracker

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Luminous

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Tan Timer & Tracker

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited access3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Unlimited Access3 Days trial$29.991 Year
3 purchases

Luminous

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

Questions

Is Tan Timer & Tracker free?
Tan Timer & Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Luminous free?
Luminous is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tan Timer & Tracker or Luminous have ads?
Neither Tan Timer & Tracker nor Luminous shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tan Timer & Tracker or Luminous?
Tan Timer & Tracker ships an update every 9 days, and Luminous every 10 days. Most recently, Tan Timer & Tracker was updated on October 30, 2026 and Luminous on October 30, 2026.

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