Comparison

Lightning Storm Simulator vs Real

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

Head to head
About

Lightning Storm Simulator

Features
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Lightning Storm Simulator generates dynamic thunderstorms with visual and sound feedback! Start the app and lightning will strike in front of your eyes, illuminating the whole room. For extra realism, use with speakers and LED flash. Features: • LED and screen lightning visualization • Dynamic simulator parameters • Custom background sound ambients • Custom lightning color • Raindrop visualization • Presets • Timer Background ambients: • Light rain • Pouring rain • Rain on window • Rain on car Background ambient effects: • Campfire • Howling wind • Birds chirping • Night owl • Frogs • Crickets in the evening • Cat purring • Wind chimes - Works with Bluetooth external speakers and headphones - Works offline - no network connection required Storms can be generated using multiple parameters such as background ambient sound, thunder frequency, color of the lightning as well as duration of the lightning. Lightning is shown using screen colors (more realistic effect but requires darker environment) or with LED flash (amazingly powerful effect). You can set the color and duration of thunder strikes, the background sounds and set the timer. If you prefer only sounds to be heard, you can disable lightning or even the other way around. New storm background sounds as well as thunder sound effects are being constantly added. Why use Lightning Storm Simulator? - Insomnia therapy (drift to sleep easily with the soothing rain sounds) - Stress therapy (relax and forget about your worries - thunder sounds will make you feel safe and secure) - Fun (playing with different settings and producing awesome lightning in your dark room) - Meditation (focus and mindfulness, reduce stress) - Pet care (desensitize/calm your dog or cat to noise and scary sounds—start quietly and gradually increase the volume in later sessions) - Tinnitus relief (storm sounds calm the ringing in your ears)

About

Real

Track lightning strikes in real-time with live satellite data and high-definition radar. Get instant alerts when storms are near your location and customize notification settings for a clear, fast view of the sky.

Highlights
  • Live satellite lightning detection
  • High-definition radar overlay
  • Customizable strike bubble alerts
  • Color-coded strike intensity
  • Watch app with live map
  • Lock screen and home screen widgets
Features
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See lightning the moment it strikes, and know the instant it's headed for you. Most lightning apps blink a few dots on a plain map and call it a day. MesoSky Lightning is a different animal: a real-time storm instrument that fuses satellite lightning detection with high-definition radar into one fast, beautiful screen. If you take the sky seriously, this is the lightning tracker you've been waiting for. REAL-TIME STRIKES, STRAIGHT FROM ORBIT • Live cloud-to-ground and in-cloud flashes from the GOES-18 and GOES-19 satellites' Geostationary Lightning Mapper. Strikes appear moments after they happen. • Every strike is color-coded by strength, so one glance tells a distant flicker from a violent close hit. • Tap any strike for the full story: a strength gauge, optical energy, footprint size, exact distance, and how long ago it struck. WIDGETS! Lock Screen, Home Screen WATCH APP with MAP! YOUR STRIKE BUBBLE • Draw a radius around your live location, or pin any spot, from 1 to 100 miles. • See the nearest strike's distance and direction, the total count around you, and how many are strong or intense, all updating live. ALERTS THAT RESPECT YOU • Get a push the instant lightning enters your bubble, even with the app closed. • You set the rules: how often you're notified (every 5, 15, or 30 minutes) and for how long (the next hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, or until you turn it off). • No spam, no nagging. Just the heads-up you actually want. HIGH-DEFINITION RADAR UNDERNEATH • Full-resolution NEXRAD Level 2 base reflectivity, rendered live. The same data meteorologists use, auto-tuned to the closest radar to you. • Dial in the dBZ filter and opacity to see exactly the storm you care about. READ THE STORM AT A GLANCE • Intensity glow that heats up where the strongest strikes cluster. • Footprint and activity overlays that turn storm chaos into a clear read. RIGHT ON YOUR WRIST • A live lightning map on your Apple Watch, centered on you or anywhere you pan, with every strike color-coded by strength just like the phone. • Tap any strike on your wrist for its strength, distance, direction, age, and footprint. • Set your time window (15, 30, or 60 minutes) and toggle intensity coloring right from the watch. • Watch face complications keep the strike count, the closest strike's distance and direction, and how many are strong or intense one glance away. • Your complications stay current, so a flick of the wrist is always a fresh read on the sky. BUILT BEAUTIFULLY • A clean, fast, glass interface designed to be understood in a flash. Full dark, fluid motion, and haptics throughout. • Your location is used only to center the map and power your alerts. Never sold, never used to track you. Whether you're a storm chaser, pilot, golfer, coach, or a parent watching the sky over the ballfield, MesoSky Lightning gives you the clearest, fastest read on the sky in your pocket. — Terms of Use (EULA): https://mesosky.com/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://mesosky.com/privacy/ MesoSky Lightning Pro is a $0.99/month auto-renewing subscription with a 3-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings.

Screenshots

Lightning Storm Simulator4 screens
Real4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Real at none against Lightning Storm Simulator's shown. Real also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Lightning Storm Simulator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Real sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightning Storm Simulator ships an update every 6 weeks, Real every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Lightning Storm Simulator versus Real: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightning Storm SimulatorReal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.9 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—11 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB19 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperQvyshift LLCRobert Abraham

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Lightning Storm Simulator

One-time2
  • Halloween Sound Effects$4.99
  • Remove Ads$4.99
1 purchases

Real

Subscriptions1
  • Unlock all Features$0.991 Month

Questions

Is Lightning Storm Simulator free?
Lightning Storm Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Real free?
Real is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Lightning Storm Simulator or Real have ads?
Lightning Storm Simulator shows ads; Real does not.
Which is updated more often, Lightning Storm Simulator or Real?
Lightning Storm Simulator ships an update every 6 weeks, and Real every 5 days. Most recently, Lightning Storm Simulator was updated on October 31, 2026 and Real on October 31, 2026.

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