Comparison

Albedo vs Tide Guide

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

Head to head
About

Albedo

Features
Read full description

Albedo turns your screen into a window to the moon. Built with 720 real NASA lunar frames, it renders the moon's current phase in stunning detail — accurate to the hour, beautiful enough to stare at. Whether you're timing a golden hour shoot, tracking moonrise for a night hike, or simply wondering what the moon looks like tonight, Albedo puts precise astronomical data inside an interface designed to feel like cinema. REAL NASA MOON, FRAME BY FRAME 720 high-resolution lunar images map every hour of the 29.5-day synodic cycle. Scrub through time with a precision slider and watch the moon wax and wane in front of you. Each frame is a real photograph — not a rendering. GOLDEN HOUR & BLUE HOUR TRACKER Know exactly when the light is perfect. Albedo calculates morning and evening golden hour and blue hour windows for your location, displayed on a beautiful 24-hour light chart. Plan your next shoot down to the minute. MOON CALENDAR Browse lunar phases across any month from 2000 to 2100. Each day shows a thumbnail of the moon's appearance, making it easy to plan around full moons, new moons, and everything in between. MOON JOURNAL Attach notes and photos to any date on the calendar. Record observations, mark shooting conditions, or keep a lunar diary. Your entries are stored securely on-device with SwiftData. AR MOON FINDER Point your camera at the sky and find the moon. Albedo places an accurate 3D moon at the real lunar position using ARKit, with a guide arrow when the moon is off-screen. INTERACTIVE 3D MOON Explore a textured 3D lunar globe you can rotate freely. Examine the surface up close, from the Sea of Tranquility to the Tycho crater. MOONRISE, MOONSET & DISTANCE Precise moonrise and moonset times for your location, plus real-time lunar distance. All calculations adapt as you scrub through time. SMART NOTIFICATIONS Get notified before full moons, new moons, and evening golden hours so you never miss a moment. Customizable alerts delivered at the right time. LOCATION-AWARE Albedo uses your GPS for accurate local calculations, or let you search and set any location manually. All solar and lunar times adjust instantly. DESIGNED FOR DARK A pure black interface with glassmorphism accents and cinematic serif typography. Albedo is built for night use — easy on the eyes, beautiful in the dark. WORKS EVERYWHERE Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro. Your moon, on every screen. Albedo Pro unlocks the full experience: Calendar, Journal, 3D Moon, AR Moon Finder, and notifications. The core moon phase viewer and light tracker are free. Download Albedo and see the moon like never before.

About

Tide Guide

Features
Read full description

Tide Up is your essential companion for coastal activities. Whether you are fishing, surfing, sailing, or simply enjoying the beach, Tide Up provides accurate real-time tide forecasts and detailed water level information for locations worldwide. REAL-TIME TIDE FORECASTS Get instant access to current tide levels and precise predictions for the next 24 hours. Our advanced forecasting system delivers accurate data so you can plan your activities with confidence. INTERACTIVE TIDE CHARTS Visualize tide patterns with beautiful, easy-to-read graphs showing high tides, low tides, and water level trends throughout the day. Understand tide cycles at a glance with our intuitive chart design. COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION Each tide station provides detailed data including current water level, tide height in meters or feet, rising or falling status, and astronomical information like sunrise and sunset times for your selected location. WORLDWIDE COVERAGE Access tide data for thousands of coastal locations around the globe. From popular beaches to remote fishing spots, find accurate tide information wherever your adventures take you. MULTIPLE UNIT SYSTEMS Switch between metric and imperial units based on your preference. View tide heights in meters or feet to match your local standards. DETAILED REPORTS Generate comprehensive PDF reports with tide forecasts, charts, and location details. Perfect for planning multi-day trips or sharing information with your crew. LOCATION-BASED SEARCH Find nearby tide stations using your current location or search for specific coastal areas by name. Our interactive map makes it easy to explore tide stations in any region. MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT Tide Up is available in English, Chinese Simplified, Indonesian, Italian, and Russian, making it accessible to users worldwide. WIDGETS FOR QUICK ACCESS Add Tide Up widgets to your home screen or lock screen for instant tide information without opening the app. Stay updated with at-a-glance data right from your device. OFFLINE-FRIENDLY Once loaded, tide data is cached locally so you can access recently viewed information even without an internet connection. CLEAN AND INTUITIVE INTERFACE Navigate effortlessly through a modern, user-friendly design focused on presenting tide information clearly and efficiently. PERFECT FOR - Fishermen planning the best times to cast - Surfers seeking optimal wave conditions - Sailors navigating coastal waters - Boaters timing harbor entries and exits - Beach enthusiasts choosing the best visiting times - Kayakers and paddleboarders planning safe trips - Photographers capturing coastal landscapes - Marine researchers collecting data FREE TO USE Tide Up is completely free with no subscriptions, no ads, and no in-app purchases. All features are available to everyone at no cost. PRIVACY FOCUSED Your location data is only used to find nearby tide stations and is never stored or shared. We respect your privacy and do not collect personal information. Download Tide Up today and experience the most reliable tide forecasting app for all your coastal adventures.

Screenshots

Albedo4 screens
Tide Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tide Guide at none against Albedo's 1. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Albedo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tide Guide asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Albedo ships an update every 5 months, Tide Guide every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Albedo versus Tide Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlbedoTide Guide
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.617.6
Further details — not scored
Size84 MB33 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperTINAC Inc.Arkitecna Hong Kong Limited

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Albedo

One-time1
  • Albedo Pro$3.99
None

Tide Guide

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Albedo free?
Albedo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tide Guide free?
Tide Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Albedo or Tide Guide have ads?
Neither Albedo nor Tide Guide shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Albedo or Tide Guide?
Albedo ships an update every 5 months, and Tide Guide every 3 months. Most recently, Albedo was updated on October 24, 2026 and Tide Guide on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons