Comparison

Frost Watch vs Lightning Tracker & Thunder

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

Head to head
About

Frost Watch

This app provides precise ground-level frost predictions by analyzing atmospheric science factors beyond just air temperature. It offers a 0-10 risk score, 7-day forecasts, and plant-specific alerts to help gardeners protect their plants from unexpected frosts.

Highlights
  • Ground temperature estimation
  • 0-10 risk score
  • 7-day frost forecast
  • Plant-specific alerts
  • Evening notifications
  • Daytime frost detection
  • Home screen widgets
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Your weather app says 34°F. But at ground level - where your plants actually live - it's 26°F. That difference is the reason you keep losing plants to "surprise" frosts. Frost Watch uses atmospheric science to predict what's really happening at ground level. Instead of relying on a simple temperature threshold, it calculates frost risk using dew point, cloud cover, wind speed, humidity, and radiative cooling physics - the same factors professional meteorologists use. HOW IT WORKS Frost forms through radiative cooling: on clear, calm nights, the ground loses heat to the sky and can drop 6-8°F below the forecast air temperature. Frost Watch models this process using peer-reviewed research from the FAO, NOAA, and published atmospheric science, then distills it into a simple 0-10 risk score. Every evening, you get a score, an explanation of why, and specific advice on what to do. FEATURES - Ground Temperature Estimation See both the forecast air temperature and the estimated ground-level temperature side by side. Understand why frost can form even when the forecast says 34°F. - 0-10 Risk Score A single number that accounts for cloud cover, wind speed, dew point, humidity, and recent precipitation. Each factor's impact is shown so you understand exactly why tonight is risky - or safe. - 7-Day Frost Forecast Plan your week with daily overnight frost risk scores. Tap any day for hourly breakdowns and detailed weather factors. - 67 Plant-Specific Alerts + Pipes Add your plants from a curated database of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and tropicals. Each has scientifically researched damage and kill temperatures. When ground temps approach your plants' thresholds, you'll see exactly which ones need protection and what to do. - Evening Notifications Get alerts at a time you choose (default 7 PM) so you have time to cover plants or bring containers inside before nightfall. Set your risk threshold, lookahead window (up to 7 days), and quiet weekends. Notifications are scheduled in advance and fire even if you don't open the app. - Daytime Frost Detection Most apps only check overnight lows. Frost Watch also scans for rare daytime freezes - devastating for spring blooms - and alerts you the evening before. - Home Screen Widgets Small and medium widgets show tonight's risk score and upcoming forecast at a glance. No need to open the app to know if tonight matters. - Works Everywhere Enter any location worldwide. Uses Open-Meteo weather data with automatic timezone detection. BUILT FOR GARDENERS, BACKED BY SCIENCE Frost Watch was built because generic weather apps don't tell you what you actually need to know: will frost form tonight, and should I do something about it? The answer depends on more than temperature. It depends on whether the sky is clear enough for radiative cooling, whether wind will mix the air and prevent inversions, whether the dew point is close enough to buffer heat loss, and whether recent rain changed the soil's thermal properties. This app does that math for you and gives you a clear answer every evening. °F or °C. 12h or 24h. Your units, your schedule, your plants. No account. No subscription. No tracking. Ever. All your data stays on your device. Just open the app and protect your garden.

About

Lightning Tracker & Thunder

Features
Read full description

See lightning strikes in real time — on a live map, on your wrist, and in push alerts when storms move toward you. Lightning Tracker shows where thunder is happening right now: individual strikes colour-coded by age, storm hotspots with strike rate and drift, precipitation radar, a world overview of active regions, and strike history you can scrub through like a timeline. WHY LIGHTNING TRACKER • Real-time lightning map centred on your location • Nearest-strike distance, direction, and trend (closing in or moving away) • Storm cells with strike count, rate per minute, and drift direction • Animated precipitation radar overlay • World view of active storm regions worldwide • Strike history with playback — see what already happened • Flash-to-Bang timer — estimate distance from flash to thunder • Storm-risk forecast and official severe-weather alerts nearby • Push notifications for lightning near your saved locations • Home Screen widget, Apple Watch, and Mac menu bar — glanceable updates everywhere STAY AHEAD OF THE STORM Save alert locations for home, work, the ball field, or anywhere that matters. Choose your radius and quiet hours. Premium unlocks unlimited locations, background monitoring, radar, history, and every platform. Built for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with one Universal Purchase. IMPORTANT: Lightning Tracker is for informational use only. Always follow official local warnings and seek shelter when thunderstorms are near. Data coverage varies by region. Download Lightning Tracker and know when thunder is getting close — before you hear it. Terms: https://lightningtracker.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/terms.html Privacy: https://lightningtracker.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Frost Watch4 screens
Lightning Tracker & Thunder4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Lightning Tracker & Thunder at Free against Frost Watch's $4.99. Frost Watch's advantage is chart position (#67 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases 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

Lightning Tracker & Thunder is free to download; Frost Watch costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Frost Watch versus Lightning Tracker & Thunder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFrost WatchLightning Tracker & Thunder
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#67 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEugene MimFeynman EinsteinAI Note Taker OU

In-app purchases

None

Frost Watch

No in-app purchases

None

Lightning Tracker & Thunder

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Frost Watch free?
Frost Watch costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lightning Tracker & Thunder free?
Lightning Tracker & Thunder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Frost Watch or Lightning Tracker & Thunder have ads?
Neither Frost Watch nor Lightning Tracker & Thunder shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Frost Watch or Lightning Tracker & Thunder?
Frost Watch ships an update every 5 days, and Lightning Tracker & Thunder every 5 days. Most recently, Frost Watch was updated on October 6, 2026 and Lightning Tracker & Thunder on October 20, 2026.

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