Comparison

Northern Lights Tracker° vs Aurora Buddy

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

Head to head
About

Northern Lights Tracker°

This app provides real-time aurora borealis forecasts and alerts based on your location. It helps travelers, photographers, and skywatchers track aurora visibility with live data, personalized notifications, and an easy-to-use interface.

Highlights
  • Live aurora forecasts
  • KP index and cloud cover
  • Personalized alerts
  • Global map view
  • Location-based accuracy
  • Clean interface
Features
Read full description

Northern Lights Tracker: Auroa helps you stay one step ahead of nature’s most beautiful show. Whether you’re planning a trip to see the aurora borealis or hoping to catch a surprise display nearby, Auroa gives you accurate, real-time forecasts and alerts based on your location. Built for travelers, photographers, and skywatchers, Auroa makes aurora tracking simple and reliable. Key Features: Live Aurora Forecasts – See KP index, cloud cover, and visibility predictions in one place. Personalized Alerts – Get notified when conditions are right in your area. Map View – Track aurora visibility across the globe in real time. Location-Based Accuracy – Forecasts tailored to your exact location. Clean, Easy Interface – Designed for quick checks and intuitive use, even in low light. Whether you're chasing auroras or just don’t want to miss the next show, Auroa gives you everything you need to be ready. The app is free to download and install, but certain features are available exclusively for subscribers. If you have a premium subscription, please note that: Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon purchase confirmation. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends. You can manage your subscription and disable auto-renewal at any time in your Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://nlt.bravycode.com/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://nlt.bravycode.com/terms.html

About

Aurora Buddy

This app provides hyper-local aurora borealis predictions and alerts based on solar wind data and local weather. It helps users find the best viewing conditions with cloud cover and light pollution maps, and offers long-range forecasts for planning.

Highlights
  • Hyper-local aurora probability
  • Flight aurora viewing planner
  • Smart background location alerts
  • Interactive cloud cover maps
  • Light pollution data overlay
  • 5-day long-range forecasts
Features
Read full description

Predicting the Aurora Borealis is a complex dance of solar winds, magnetic fields, and local weather. Aurora Buddy simplifies the science into a single, beautiful dashboard that tells you exactly when to head outside. Whether you are a seasoned chaser or a first-time dreamer, Aurora Buddy provides the precision you need to never miss the northern lights. Key Features: Hyper-Local Accuracy: We don't just give you a generic Kp-index. We analyze real-time solar wind speed, density, and Bz orientation to give you a probability for your exact location. Flight Planner: Put in the details for your next flight and see if you'll see the aurora from your flight! Smart Background Alerts: Traveling? Aurora Buddy tracks your location in the background to update your forecast. If the lights start dancing near your new location, you'll be the first to know. Cloud Maps: An aurora is no good behind a thick layer of clouds. Our interactive maps overlay live cloud cover and light pollution data so you can find the clearest "dark sky" window nearby. Solar Cycle Insights: Stay ahead of the curve with 5-day long-range forecasts, perfect for planning your next trip to the Arctic (or your own backyard).

Screenshots

Northern Lights Tracker°3 screens
Aurora Buddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Aurora Buddy at 100% against Northern Lights Tracker°'s 17%. Aurora Buddy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Northern Lights Tracker°'s advantage is ratings volume (126 vs 8). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Northern Lights Tracker° sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Aurora Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Aurora Buddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Northern Lights Tracker° has 126 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Northern Lights Tracker°'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Aurora Buddy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Northern Lights Tracker° ships an update every 3 months, Aurora Buddy every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Northern Lights Tracker° versus Aurora Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNorthern Lights Tracker°Aurora Buddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (126 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings126 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHarshit TyagiHarsh Patel

Customer experience

Northern Lights Tracker°

All ratings122 ratings
Positive87.7%
Neutral4.1%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%

Aurora Buddy

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Northern Lights Tracker°

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Plan3 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Plan$19.99
None

Aurora Buddy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Northern Lights Tracker° free?
Northern Lights Tracker° is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aurora Buddy free?
Aurora Buddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Northern Lights Tracker° or Aurora Buddy?
Aurora Buddy is rated higher. Northern Lights Tracker° averages 4.5 out of 5 from 126 ratings, while Aurora Buddy averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do Northern Lights Tracker° or Aurora Buddy have ads?
Neither Northern Lights Tracker° nor Aurora Buddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Northern Lights Tracker° or Aurora Buddy?
Northern Lights Tracker° ships an update every 3 months, and Aurora Buddy every 10 days. Most recently, Northern Lights Tracker° was updated on October 25, 2026 and Aurora Buddy on October 24, 2026.

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