# Heat Compass vs Before It Strikes

The clearest difference is device support: Before It Strikes at 3 against Heat Compass's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Heat Compass | Before It Strikes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/before-it-strikes-lightning/id6783021228/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 44 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [craig merry](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709539824) | [Cody Negri](https://appshunter.io/developer/428171414) |

## What reviewers say

### Heat Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heat-compass/id6746873620)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Before It Strikes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/before-it-strikes-lightning/id6783021228)

This app provides real-time severe weather alerts and lightning prediction. It offers a 30-minute safety countdown after lightning strikes and displays high-resolution 3D radar. Receive instant National Weather Service warnings for any saved location.

**Highlights:** Lightning safety countdown, Official NWS alerts, Hi-res 3D radar, Storm Center overview, Heads-up storm notifications, Apple Watch integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Heat Compass free?

Heat Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Before It Strikes free?

Before It Strikes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Heat Compass or Before It Strikes have ads?

Neither Heat Compass nor Before It Strikes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Heat Compass or Before It Strikes?

Heat Compass ships an update weekly, and Before It Strikes weekly. Most recently, Heat Compass was updated on October 7, 2026 and Before It Strikes on October 10, 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.*