# 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 every 4 weeks). 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 8 respectively.

Before It Strikes ships an update weekly, Lightning Tracker every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 22, 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 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-tracker-radar-map/id6789006775/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 weeks |
| 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-radar-map/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 8 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 every 4 weeks. Most recently, Before It Strikes was updated on October 10, 2026 and Lightning Tracker on October 22, 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.*