Comparison

Chase the Light vs Sunset Prediction

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

Head to head
About

Chase the Light

Features
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Chase the Light is the essential tool for cinematographers, photographers, and anyone who lives for the magic of natural light. Know exactly when golden hour begins where you're standing. Every time is calculated for your GPS coordinates and today's date, and live weather tells you what the light will actually look like. THE LIGHT LOOP β€” YOUR DAY'S LIGHT AT A GLANCE A 24-hour loop on the home screen shows where you are in the day, from soft daylight through golden hour, blue hour and night. As golden or blue hour approaches, it opens up with a live countdown to the next phase. The rest of the day it folds into a compact capsule, out of your way. Tap any phase to see when it starts today, what the light looks like, and how to shoot it. SEVEN PHASES OF LIGHT β€” PRECISELY TIMED Every cinematographer knows the best light lasts only minutes. Chase the Light times every phase of the day for your exact location and date: - Night β€” Full darkness. Stars and long exposures. - Astronomical Twilight β€” The sky begins to glow. Deep navy hues emerge. - Nautical Twilight β€” Rich indigo and violet tones. The horizon comes alive. - Blue Hour β€” Cool ethereal blue light. No shadows. Pure atmosphere. Also known as civil twilight. - Golden Hour β€” Warm, soft, directional light. The magic begins. - Low Sun β€” Warm, angled light. Long dramatic shadows. - Soft Light β€” Gentle daylight. Flattering and cinematic. LIVE ACTIVITY β€” THE COUNTDOWN ON YOUR LOCK SCREEN Open the app around golden or blue hour and follow the countdown on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, phase by phase, without unlocking your phone. With Pro alerts on, it starts on its own. APPLE WATCH Put the Light Loop on your watch face: a ring of the day's light phases with the time to the next one, alongside a Next Event complication for sunrise and sunset. LIVE SUN TRACKING A real-time cinematic sun arc shows the sun's exact position in the sky right now. Watch it move. Know where it's heading. The arc updates every second with the sun's true altitude and azimuth for your coordinates. SUNRISE & SUNSET FORECASTS Not just the times β€” but what the light will actually look like. Cloud cover, weather conditions, and a Great/Good/Poor light quality rating tell you whether to set your alarm or sleep in. LIVE SATELLITE IMAGERY See the actual clouds over your region right now with live GOES satellite imagery. Know what's coming before you pack your gear. DEPARTURE REMINDERS Set notifications for exactly when you need to leave to reach your shooting location on time. Account for travel time and setup. Never miss the light because you left too late. GLOBAL LOCATION SEARCH Search any city or location worldwide. Planning a shoot in Iceland? Patagonia? The Sahara? Chase the Light works everywhere. REAL-TIME WEATHER Current conditions, temperature, cloud cover, humidity, wind speed, and a 24-hour forecast strip with golden and blue hour windows highlighted. FREE AND PRO The Light Loop, all seven light phases, the sun arc, current weather and the Apple Watch complications are free. Chase the Light Pro adds golden- and blue-hour alerts, departure reminders, a Live Activity that starts on its own, and the full Apple Watch app. Built by a cinematographer, for cinematographers. Because the best light only lasts minutes. Chase it.

About

Sunset Prediction

Features
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Sunset Prediction helps photographers, creators, and sunset lovers know when the light is truly worth chasing. Instead of simply showing sunrise and sunset times, the app combines precise solar data with weather conditions to predict how beautiful the light may be. Get a clear glow score based on cloud cover, visibility, humidity, rain, sun direction, and golden hour timing. Plan better shoots, choose the best day, and never miss the right moment. Key features: Today See today’s glow score, golden hour, blue hour, sunrise, sunset, and the sun’s direction. 7-Day Outlook Compare upcoming days and find the best opportunity for dramatic light. Map Plan your composition with the sunset line, sun path, and sun position directly on the map. Spots Save your favorite locations and automatically compare them by light quality. Alerts Get smart reminders before golden hour, sunset, or the best predicted light. Explainable Forecasts Understand why the light is expected to be good or bad, based on real weather and solar conditions. Privacy-first No backend is required. Your saved spots and calculations stay on your device. Sunset Prediction is designed for landscape photographers, travel creators, outdoor planners, and anyone who wants to catch better sunsets, sunrises, golden hour, and blue hour. Privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of use: https://backoffice.nicolaeusebi.com/Legal/PrivacyBody

Screenshots

Chase the Light4 screens
Sunset Prediction4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sunset Prediction at daily against Chase the Light's fortnightly. Sunset Prediction also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.2). Chase the Light's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Chase the Light sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sunset Prediction sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chase the Light ships an update fortnightly, Sunset Prediction daily. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Chase the Light versus Sunset Prediction: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChase the LightSunset Prediction
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyDaily β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.217.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size9 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJEFFREY ELVIN HAUPTNicola Eusebi

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Chase the Light

One-time1
  • Chase the Light$1.99
2 purchases

Sunset Prediction

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Weekly3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Yearly Pro$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Chase the Light free?
Chase the Light is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sunset Prediction free?
Sunset Prediction is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chase the Light or Sunset Prediction have ads?
Neither Chase the Light nor Sunset Prediction shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chase the Light or Sunset Prediction?
Chase the Light ships an update fortnightly, and Sunset Prediction daily. Most recently, Chase the Light was updated on October 25, 2026 and Sunset Prediction on October 28, 2026.

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