Comparison

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker vs Lightphase

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

Head to head
About

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker

This app predicts sunrise and sunset quality, golden hour, and blue hour. It provides simple scores and clear explanations to help you know when the sky will be at its best for photography or outdoor activities.

Highlights
  • Sunrise & sunset quality scores
  • Golden hour and blue hour timing
  • Twilight tracking
  • Sky quality explanations
  • Smart reminders
  • Sun direction maps
Features
Read full description

Sunset helps you know when the sky is worth chasing. Track sunsets, sunrise conditions, golden hour, blue hour, twilight, first light, and the best moments to step outside. Whether you're planning a walk, beach trip, photo session, or simply looking for a beautiful sky, Sunset helps you decide when to go. Unlike traditional weather apps, Sunset is designed around light, atmosphere, and sky quality, not just temperature and rain. It gives you simple scores, clear explanations, and forecasts that help you know whether tonight's sky could glow. KNOW WHEN THE SKY WILL GLOW Sunset predicts sunrise and sunset quality using cloud coverage, visibility, humidity, atmospheric conditions, and light timing. Every forecast includes: - Sunset & sunrise scores - Golden hour timing - Blue hour timing - Twilight tracking - First light & last light - Sky quality explanations - Confidence indicators - Smart reminders - Sun direction maps Whether the sky looks dramatic, soft, colorful, glowing, or hidden behind clouds, Sunset helps you understand why. SUNSET FORECASTS MADE SIMPLE Open the app and instantly see: - Is tonight worth going out for? - When will the best light happen? - How good will the sunset be? - Why does the forecast look good or bad? - Which upcoming day looks best? Sunset translates conditions into clear recommendations: Go / Maybe / Skip TRACK EVERY MAGIC HOUR Sunset goes beyond sunrise and sunset times. Discover the beautiful transitions of light throughout the day: - Golden Hour - Blue Hour - Civil Twilight - Nautical Twilight - Astronomical Twilight - First Light - Last Light - Solar Noon Perfect for photography, videography, travel planning, outdoor activities, or simply appreciating the sky. UNDERSTAND WHY A SUNSET LOOKS AMAZING Sunset doesn't just show a score. It explains the sky with forecast factors including: - High clouds - Mid clouds - Low clouds - Visibility - Humidity - Atmospheric haze - Air quality - Forecast confidence Some sunsets look dramatic because of high cloud reflections. Some look soft because of haze and moisture. Some disappear behind thick low clouds. Sunset helps you understand the difference before you leave home. FOLLOW THE SUN Use the interactive map to see exactly where the sun will rise and set. Features include: - Sun direction maps - Sunrise & sunset rays - Time sliders - Azimuth information - Location search - Multi-location support Whether you're planning a beach sunset, city skyline photo, mountain hike, or travel destination, Sunset helps you find the right direction and timing. SMART REMINDERS Never miss the perfect sky again. Get notified before: - Beautiful sunsets - Golden hour - Blue hour - Sunrise - Twilight moments Set reminders based on sky quality and forecast conditions, so you only get alerts when the sky is truly worth chasing. DESIGNED FOR A CALMER EXPERIENCE Sunset is built with a clean, minimal, atmospheric design inspired by natural light. No clutter. No complicated charts. Just beautiful skies, simple forecasts, and better moments outdoors. PRO FEATURES Unlock advanced planning tools with Sunset Pro: - 7-day sunset forecasts - Advanced sky quality factors - Multi-location tracking - Smart quality alerts - Advanced sun direction tools - Extended map features - Detailed forecast explanations Perfect for photographers, travelers, and anyone who wants to plan a better golden hour experience. FIND BEAUTY IN THE SKY EVERY DAY Sometimes the best moments happen right above us. Sunset helps you slow down, step outside, and notice the light. We'd love to hear from you! Feedback & Support: sps-team@needodo.com Privacy Policy: https://api-cle.needodo.com/acchtml/sunrisesunset/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://api-cle.needodo.com/acchtml/sunrisesunset/terms.html

About

Lightphase

This app predicts and displays the timing of various light phases, including golden hour, civil twilight, and astronomical twilight. It helps photographers and outdoor enthusiasts plan their activities around optimal lighting conditions, offering detailed information and countdowns.

Highlights
  • Predicts golden hour and twilight times
  • Counts down to next light phase
  • Displays six distinct light phases
  • Visualizes the day's light curve
  • Interactive scrubbing through the day
  • Watch complications and widgets
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Lightphase is a clock for natural light. It tells you which light you are standing in, the minute it changes, and how long you have left. Shooting the overlook at golden hour? Lightphase gives you the minute it starts and the minute it ends. Hiking back after sunset? It tells you when Civil Twilight runs out, the last light you can walk by without a headlamp. Waiting for a dark sky? It shows when night begins, which is often more than an hour after sunset. Every phase of light, named Lightphase divides the day by the sun's angle into the phases photographers and hikers plan around, and names each one in plain words. Daylight. The sun is high, the light is flat and the shadows are short and hard. 35° Window. Low enough for directional light, with fuller color and more contrast than golden hour. The long, workable stretch of morning and afternoon. Golden Hour. Warm, low sun from the horizon to 6 degrees up. Long shadows and raking side light. Civil Twilight. The sun has set and the sky is still bright. Enough light to walk by, or to shoot handheld. Nautical Twilight. Deep blue sky over a faint horizon. Most of what people call blue hour happens here. Astronomical Twilight. The last glow before full dark. The stars are out, and a long exposure still picks up the horizon. Night. Full dark, with no usable light from the sun. The answer comes first The top of the screen holds the answer: the light you are in, when it began and ends, and how much of it is left. Below it sit the next golden hour and the next sunrise or sunset, with the time it gets dark or the first light before it. See the whole day at once Behind the answer, the screen takes the color of the sky at the sun's height where you are, with today's light drawn as a curve across it. Drag the sun along the curve and every reading follows your finger. Find out what the light will be doing at six before you decide where to be at six. Glance without opening anything The Home Screen widget shows the sky, the light you are in and how long it lasts. The medium size adds the next golden hour. On the Lock Screen, a widget shows the phase and when it changes. On your wrist, too The watch app comes with three complications. One names the light you are in and when it changes. One counts down to a light you choose, with a ring that empties as it runs. One draws today's arc with the sun where it stands right now. Readable in direct sun A light palette for bright sun and a dark one for dusk. Every phase is spelled out in words, so you never have to tell one color from another. Times that match the almanac Sunrise and sunset are timed to the sun's upper edge meeting the horizon, and the twilights use their standard angles. Almanacs use the same definitions, so the times agree with the ones you already trust, and the app shows where every number comes from. Works where the signal does not Lightphase works out the light on your iPhone from where you are and the time of day. It keeps working in airplane mode, in a canyon, and anywhere the bars run out. Your location stays on your iPhone, where only the latest position is kept for your widgets and complications. One price, everything in it One purchase covers the iPhone app, the watch app, every widget and every complication. There is no subscription and nothing to buy inside. The sun does not charge a monthly fee, so neither do we. Every light Lightphase tracks Sunrise, sunset, golden hour, blue hour, first light, last light, civil twilight, nautical twilight, astronomical twilight and night.

Screenshots

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker4 screens
Lightphase4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Sunrise & Sunset Tracker at Free against Lightphase's $4.99. Sunrise & Sunset Tracker also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). Lightphase's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 2.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ratings volume, ads, 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

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker is free to download; Lightphase costs $4.99 up front. Sunrise & Sunset Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Lightphase asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lightphase holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker ships an update every 5 days, Lightphase every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sunrise & Sunset Tracker versus Lightphase: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSunrise & Sunset TrackerLightphase
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating2.2 (5 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShenZhen Niddles Technology Co., Ltd.Onyx Mueller

Customer experience

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker

All ratings5 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative60.0%

Lightphase

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Sunrise & Sunset Tracker

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Subscription3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription$19.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$59.991 Year
None

Lightphase

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sunrise & Sunset Tracker free?
Sunrise & Sunset Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lightphase free?
Lightphase costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sunrise & Sunset Tracker or Lightphase?
Lightphase is rated higher. Sunrise & Sunset Tracker averages 2.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Lightphase averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Sunrise & Sunset Tracker or Lightphase have ads?
Neither Sunrise & Sunset Tracker nor Lightphase shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sunrise & Sunset Tracker or Lightphase?
Sunrise & Sunset Tracker ships an update every 5 days, and Lightphase every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sunrise & Sunset Tracker was updated on October 8, 2026 and Lightphase on October 12, 2026.

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