# Cyclone vs Guidepole

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Guidepole at 100% against Cyclone's 61%. Guidepole also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and ads (none vs shown). Cyclone's advantage is ratings volume (98 vs 4) and iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cyclone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Guidepole sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Guidepole holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cyclone has 98 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Cyclone's written reviews are positive against 100% of Guidepole's.

Cyclone ships an update every 6 months, Guidepole weekly. Both last shipped on November 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cyclone | Guidepole |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (98 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyclone-hurricane-tracker/id698744759/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guidepole-wildfire-smoke-map/id6796063881/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **98** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 182 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Elecont LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/401533969) | [Guidepole LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790563876) |

## What reviewers say

### Cyclone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyclone-hurricane-tracker/id698744759)

This app provides real-time weather insights with live satellite imagery and storm tracking for hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones worldwide. Explore dynamic maps with smooth zoom and pan, access forecasts, and customize animation playback for a tailored experience.

**Highlights:** Live satellite imagery, Global storm tracking, Interactive map exploration, 10-day forecasts, Customizable animation speed, Sunrise/sunset times

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads & Limits | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate and friendly
- 🚀 Fast and precise
- 👍 Good clear tracking
- 👍 Good for quick updates
- 👍 Good for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Ads make checks impossible
- 😠 Ads force clicks
- 😠 Ads are too intrusive
- 😠 Interface is poor
- 😠 Hard to read

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications for watch zones needed
- Ads make quick checks impossible
- Ads force clicks
- Ads are too intrusive
- Interface is poor

**Requested features**

- Ability to notify users of watch zones
- More detail of the Pacific
- Key to explain color-coded storm intensity
- Highlight approximate storm location
- More informative feedback on cyclone intensity (wind strength, speed)


### Guidepole

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guidepole-wildfire-smoke-map/id6796063881)

Track active wildfires and monitor smoke plumes with real-time air quality data. Get 24-hour forecasts for smoke and AQI, and receive alerts for fires and poor air conditions near saved locations.

**Highlights:** Live wildfire tracking, Real-time smoke plumes, 24-hour smoke forecast, Air quality index (AQI) monitoring, 24-hour AQI forecast, Customizable alerts, Built-in assistant for queries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guidepole Fire Pro (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Guidepole Fire Pro | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cyclone free?

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

### Is Guidepole free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cyclone or Guidepole?

Guidepole is rated higher. Cyclone averages 4.5 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while Guidepole averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Cyclone or Guidepole have ads?

Cyclone shows ads; Guidepole does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cyclone or Guidepole?

Cyclone ships an update every 6 months, and Guidepole weekly. Most recently, Cyclone was updated on November 13, 2026 and Guidepole on November 13, 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.*