Comparison

Aurora Tracker (Scientific) vs Lightning Tracker & Radar App

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

Head to head
About

Aurora Tracker (Scientific)

Features
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Aurora Tracker is a real-time space weather monitoring station for aurora hunters. It combines data from NASA, NOAA, and ground-based observatories into one interface designed for making go/no-go decisions about aurora viewing. REAL-TIME AURORA PROBABILITY A 72-hour probability forecast that combines the OVATION auroral model, live solar wind measurements from the DSCOVR satellite at L1, cloud cover predictions, and your exact latitude. Shows your best viewing window — the exact hours with the highest chance of seeing aurora at your location. SOLAR WIND MONITORING Live data from the DSCOVR satellite, 1.5 million km from Earth: • IMF Bz — the single most important aurora trigger (southward = aurora) • Solar wind speed — faster wind = stronger geomagnetic response • Proton density — higher density amplifies storm effects • IMF Bt — total interplanetary magnetic field strength All measurements include ENLIL model overlays showing predicted solar wind arrival. GEOMAGNETIC INDICES • Kp Index — 3-day planetary geomagnetic forecast from NOAA SWPC • Dst Index — real-time ring current strength from Kyoto WDC • GOES Magnetometer — geostationary orbit field measurements • Ground magnetometers — nearest station to your location SMART AURORA HUNT MODE Set your departure time and maximum driving range. The app generates a candidate grid, calculates real driving times via OSRM, fetches cloud cover forecasts at your arrival time for each direction, and ranks the top 5 viewing spots on a map with route lines. Each spot shows viewing score, drive time, cloud forecast, and a Navigate button for turn-by-turn directions. OVATION AURORA MAP Real-time OVATION Prime aurora oval heatmap overlaid on a dark map with cloud cover tiles. Tap anywhere to set your location and check conditions for that spot. 26 LIVE AURORA WEBCAMS All-sky cameras and horizon views from Svalbard (78°N) to New Zealand (45°S), sorted by latitude. Images auto-refresh every 30 seconds. See if aurora is visible at other locations before heading out yourself. SPACE WEATHER DEEP DIVE • 3-day storm probability forecasts (high and mid latitude) • Predicted K values by 3-hour block • NASA DONKI events — CMEs, solar flares, geomagnetic storms • NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center written forecast • 27-day solar rotation outlook YOUR LOCATION, YOUR CONDITIONS • Cloud cover forecast — total, low cloud, and precipitation probability • Darkness windows — astronomical twilight times for tonight • Moon phase and illumination — bright moons wash out faint aurora • Coordinates, timezone, and geomagnetic latitude Data sources: NOAA SWPC, NASA DSCOVR, OVATION Prime, WSA-ENLIL, Kyoto WDC, GOES Magnetometer, USGS Ground Magnetometers, Open-Meteo, NASA DONKI.

About

Lightning Tracker & Radar App

Features
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Know exactly how close the lightning is. Lightning Tracker shows real lightning strikes detected around you, how far away each one landed, and whether the storm is heading your way — so you can decide to stay out or head in before the first drop of rain. KEY FEATURES: • Real detected strikes — every flash comes from a professional lightning detection network, refreshed continuously. Not a guess from a rain map: the actual strike, with its distance from you. • Distance at a glance — see how far the nearest strike landed and how long the thunder takes to reach you. Under 10 km means you are already within striking range. • Storm cells and arrival time — strikes are grouped into cells with speed and direction, so the app can tell you roughly how many minutes before one reaches your location. • Alerts when it matters — set an alert radius from 5 to 100 km and get notified the moment lightning is detected inside it, at your current location or at any place you save. • Storm risk outlook — hour-by-hour and multi-day thunderstorm risk built from convective forecast models, so you can plan the week, not just the next ten minutes. • Lightning safety, explained — clear guidance for each risk level based on the widely used 30/30 rule, plus a plain-language guide: what counts as real shelter, why a car is safe, and how long to wait after the last thunder. WHO IS IT FOR: Hikers, cyclists, golfers, coaches, groundskeepers, roofers, dog walkers, and anyone with kids in the garden when the sky turns dark. HOW IT WORKS: Saved places let you watch home, the cabin, or the training ground even when you are somewhere else. Strike data comes from a professional lightning detection network, storm risk from Open-Meteo convective forecasts, and warnings from official severe weather services. Lightning Tracker is for personal safety awareness and does not replace official warnings from your national weather service. Detection networks never catch every strike, and storms can move faster than any forecast. Support: hello@britetodo.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://britetodo.com/legal/PrivacyPolicyBrite.pdf

Screenshots

Aurora Tracker (Scientific)3 screens
Lightning Tracker & Radar App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Aurora Tracker (Scientific) at 3 against Lightning Tracker & Radar App's 1. Aurora Tracker (Scientific) also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Aurora Tracker (Scientific) versus Lightning Tracker & Radar App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAurora Tracker (Scientific)Lightning Tracker & Radar App
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJansen Teng Weng NangBrite Technologies LLC

In-app purchases

None

Aurora Tracker (Scientific)

No in-app purchases

None

Lightning Tracker & Radar App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aurora Tracker (Scientific) free?
Aurora Tracker (Scientific) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lightning Tracker & Radar App free?
Lightning Tracker & Radar App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Aurora Tracker (Scientific) or Lightning Tracker & Radar App have ads?
Neither Aurora Tracker (Scientific) nor Lightning Tracker & Radar App shows ads.

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