Comparison

Aurora Forecast vs SpaceWeatherX

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

Head to head
About

Aurora Forecast

Track the Northern Lights with real-time forecasts and smart alerts. Get detailed information on aurora activity, KP index, and visibility for your location, helping you plan the perfect viewing experience.

Highlights
  • Real-time aurora forecasts
  • Location-based predictions
  • KP index and cloud cover data
  • Customizable aurora alerts
  • Global aurora map
  • Aurora viewing tips
Features
Read full description

Spot Northern Lights easily with Aurora Forecast App. This app gives you everything you need to know. When, where, and how likely you are to see the aurora, wherever you are in the world. Whether you’re chasing the aurora in Iceland, hoping for a rare display in your hometown, or planning a photography trip to the Arctic Circle, this app keeps you fully prepared with accurate, real-time forecasts and smart alerts. - Real-time aurora forecasts tailored to your location - Live KP index, cloud cover, and visibility data - Solar wind stats ands more - Customizable alerts when aurora activity is expected near you - Forecasts for the future - Global aurora map - Aurora viewing tips and best current locations - Simple, sleek design Built for travelers, photographers, and anyone who doesn’t want to miss the next aurora, this app helps you stay one step ahead and catch the magic when it happens. Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CYJ_YEK2fZHzfMJntkommHBqIdkYoGnQ2lnCUt52C88/ Terms of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MvMhZJsr14RA3JatJtIHj-GpTCITxJ1a7NMfelop3wk/

About

SpaceWeatherX

Features
Read full description

Follow solar activity, understand geomagnetic conditions and explore the northern lights with SpaceWeatherX. Bring space-weather observations, aurora conditions and optional phone alerts together in one clear view. SOLAR ACTIVITY AND SUNSPOTS Explore solar activity and open an actual NASA SDO/HMI solar image with its observation time. Zoom in on sunspots and read available NOAA active-region information. Follow Solar Cycle 25 with monthly observations and a separately labelled smoothed trend. GEOMAGNETIC CONDITIONS See planetary Kp history alongside separate interplanetary Bz/Bt and solar-wind measurements. Source times and freshness labels help distinguish current observations from delayed or unavailable data. AURORA CONDITIONS FOR YOUR CITY Check NOAA aurora-model information with local darkness and cloud forecasts. Local weather is provided by Apple Weather. Forecasts describe conditions, not a guarantee that the aurora will be visible. SPACE-WEATHER ALERTS AND CME DETAILS Follow NOAA alerts and choose optional phone notifications in Settings. Explore available NASA DONKI coronal mass ejection analysis, speed, angular width and reported Earth-impact information. Animated Sun-Earth and eruption-site views are illustrative reconstructions, not observations or forecast models. When available, open the original NASA CCMC model separately with its legend and timestamps preserved. OPTIONAL AD-FREE SUBSCRIPTION SpaceWeatherX Plus is an optional auto-renewable annual subscription that removes ads. Data and alerts remain available without a subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The subscription renews each year unless cancelled before renewal in your App Store account settings. Prices are shown in your local currency before purchase. Restore purchases and manage your subscription in the app. SpaceWeatherX is an informational app, not an emergency or safety-critical warning system. NOAA SWPC remains the operational source for official space-weather alerts. Data availability, forecasts and notification delivery depend on source and provider availability. Languages: English, Croatian, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. Terms of Use (Apple EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://spaceweatherx.com/en/privacy.html Earth imagery: NASA/GSFC Scientific Visualization Studio. Blue Marble Next Generation data: Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC) and NASA Earth Observatory. City Lights: NASA/GSFC. Sources: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3615/ and https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30003/

Screenshots

Aurora Forecast4 screens
SpaceWeatherX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Aurora Forecast at none against SpaceWeatherX's shown. Aurora Forecast also leads on chart position (#92 vs unranked). SpaceWeatherX's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Aurora Forecast sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and SpaceWeatherX sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aurora Forecast ships an update monthly, SpaceWeatherX every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Aurora Forecast versus SpaceWeatherX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAurora ForecastSpaceWeatherX
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (165 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings165 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#92 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB47 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperAppelioIvan Tokic

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Aurora Forecast

Subscriptions5
  • Aurora Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Aurora Weekly Free Trial7 Days trial2 variants$9.997 Days
  • Aurora Yearly Free Trial3 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Aurora Yearly Free Trial7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Aurora Forecast Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Northern Lights Tracker$19.99
1 purchases

SpaceWeatherX

Subscriptions1
  • SpaceWeatherX Plus Annual$8.991 Year

Questions

Is Aurora Forecast free?
Aurora Forecast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SpaceWeatherX free?
SpaceWeatherX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Aurora Forecast or SpaceWeatherX have ads?
SpaceWeatherX shows ads; Aurora Forecast does not.
Which is updated more often, Aurora Forecast or SpaceWeatherX?
Aurora Forecast ships an update monthly, and SpaceWeatherX every 10 days. Most recently, Aurora Forecast was updated on November 5, 2026 and SpaceWeatherX on November 6, 2026.

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