Lightning Tracker & Radar Map vs Lightcast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lightning Tracker & Radar Map
This app provides real-time lightning strike data and storm tracking on a map. It helps users understand approaching storms, set alerts for saved locations, and follow safety guidelines.
- Live lightning strike map
- Storm zone tracking
- Radar overlay (Premium)
- Push alerts for saved places
- 30-30 safety timer
- Forecast context (Premium)
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Lightning Tracker & Radar Map helps you understand storm activity before it reaches you. See live lightning, storm zones, alerts, saved places and forecast context in one focused weather safety app. Powered by NOAA GOES GLM and EUMETSAT MTG-I1 LI satellite data, Lightning Tracker shows recent lightning flashes on a fast map, clusters active strikes into storm zones, and helps you judge whether a storm is building, approaching or moving away. Coverage includes the Americas, Atlantic, Europe and Africa; features depend on supported coverage and data availability. USE IT BEFORE YOU GO OUT Check storms before golf, boating, hiking, school sports, outdoor work, road trips, camping, events and family time outside. Open the map, check the nearest activity, review the storm zone and decide whether to wait, move or seek shelter. LIVE LIGHTNING MAP Fresh strikes appear on the map with age and distance context. Zoom from a regional view down to the places that matter and keep watching as cells develop. STORM ZONES AND TRACKS Lightning clusters are grouped into storm zones so the map is easier to read. Track movement, intensity and projected paths instead of trying to interpret scattered strikes one by one. HISTORY AND FORECAST Premium unlocks 24-hour lightning history, a lightning heatmap and storm forecast context from NOAA SPC where available. ALERTS FOR SAVED PLACES Set an alert radius around the places you care about. Free users can monitor one saved place with basic storm data; Premium adds push alerts, wider radius, more saved places, advanced storm data and an ad-free experience. 30-30 SAFETY TIMER Use the built-in timer to follow the 30-minute lightning safety rule after nearby activity. It gives you a simple outdoor-safety checkpoint when the sky is changing fast. Lightning Tracker is built for one practical question: how close is the storm, where is it moving and is it time to get inside? Terms: https://lightningtracker.app/terms Privacy: https://lightningtracker.app/privacy
Lightcast
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Lightcast tells you how much natural outdoor light is available right now and forecasts how it will change through the day. Using your location, Lightcast estimates illumination from the sun, moon, and cloud cover, then maps it into a clear visual forecast so you can see when conditions will be bright enough for your plans. Features: • See current and upcoming outdoor light levels across the next day • Find the time light will reach or fall below your chosen threshold • Adjust thresholds with presets like clear full moon, streetlight, readable, current light, or a custom value • Set photography-based thresholds from ISO, aperture, and shutter speed • Explore sun angle, moon angle and phase, cloud cover, and total light at any point in the forecast • Use the built-in Siri shortcut to ask for your current lightcast Great for walking, running, photography, commuting, early starts, and planning time outside with less guesswork. Location access is used to calculate local light conditions and forecast timings.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lightcast at none against Lightning Tracker & Radar Map's 5. Lightning Tracker & Radar Map's advantage is chart position (#83 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Lightning Tracker & Radar Map sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Lightcast asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lightning Tracker & Radar Map | Lightcast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (115 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 115 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Best chart rank | #83 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 79 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nikolai Iakubovskii | Mock Gravity |
In-app purchases
Lightning Tracker & Radar Map
- Lightning Tracker Premium$5.997 Days
- Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
- Lightning Tracker Premium$19.991 Year
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- Lightning Tracker Premium3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Lightning Tracker Premium3 Days trial$44.991 Year
Lightcast
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Lightning Tracker & Radar Map free?
Is Lightcast free?
Do Lightning Tracker & Radar Map or Lightcast have ads?
Which is updated more often, Lightning Tracker & Radar Map or Lightcast?
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