# Before It Strikes vs Lightning Tracker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Before It Strikes at none against Lightning Tracker's 2. Before It Strikes also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lightning Tracker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Before It Strikes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Before It Strikes against 5.0 for Lightning Tracker. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 6 respectively.

Before It Strikes ships an update weekly, Lightning Tracker fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Before It Strikes | Lightning Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/before-it-strikes-lightning/id6783021228/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker-live-radar/id6789006775/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 37 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cody Negri](https://appshunter.io/developer/428171414) | [Kurt Higa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735394078) |

## What reviewers say

### Before It Strikes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/before-it-strikes-lightning/id6783021228)

This app provides real-time severe weather alerts and lightning prediction. It offers a 30-minute safety countdown after lightning strikes and displays high-resolution 3D radar. Receive instant National Weather Service warnings for any saved location.

**Highlights:** Lightning safety countdown, Official NWS alerts, Hi-res 3D radar, Storm Center overview, Heads-up storm notifications, Apple Watch integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Lightning Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker-live-radar/id6789006775)

Track lightning strikes in real-time with live maps and receive push notifications before storms arrive. View precipitation radar, storm intensity hotspots, and NOAA's severe weather outlook. Rewind up to 24 hours of storm activity.

**Highlights:** Live lightning strike map, Push notifications for lightning alerts, 2-hour precipitation radar playback, Storm intensity hotspots, NOAA severe storm outlook, 24-hour storm rewind

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lightning Tracker Pro Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Lightning Tracker Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Before It Strikes free?

Before It Strikes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lightning Tracker free?

Lightning Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Before It Strikes or Lightning Tracker?

Before It Strikes and Lightning Tracker are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do Before It Strikes or Lightning Tracker have ads?

Neither Before It Strikes nor Lightning Tracker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Before It Strikes or Lightning Tracker?

Before It Strikes ships an update weekly, and Lightning Tracker fortnightly. Most recently, Before It Strikes was updated on October 10, 2026 and Lightning Tracker on September 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*