# Lumos vs Solar Eclipse Timer

The clearest difference is rating: Lumos at 4.7 against Solar Eclipse Timer's 3.8. Lumos also leads on ratings volume (3.7K vs 560). Solar Eclipse Timer's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lumos sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Solar Eclipse Timer sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lumos holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lumos has 3.7K ratings behind it against 560, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Lumos's written reviews are positive against 68% of Solar Eclipse Timer's.

Lumos ships an update every 3 weeks, Solar Eclipse Timer monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lumos | Solar Eclipse Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumos-sun-and-moon-tracker/id725106192/reviews)** | [3.8 (560 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-eclipse-timer/id1203105865/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.7K** | 560 |
| Positive reviews | **75.3% of reviews** | 68.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 231 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Luminous Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/725106195) | [Foxwood Astronomy, LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1180239027) |

## What reviewers say

### Lumos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumos-sun-and-moon-tracker/id725106192)

This app precisely predicts the sun and moon's positions for any time and location. Visualize celestial movements with augmented reality, map overlays, and detailed calendars to plan photography, events, or installations.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality sun/moon projection, Map view of celestial positions, Street View for remote locations, Rise/set times and moon phase calendar, Event notifications (dawn, dusk, golden hour), Shadow length and object height calculation

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lumos Pro | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Lumos Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Lumos Pro | $7.99 | per year |
| Lumos Pro | $7.99 | per year |
| 7-day Trial | Free | one-time |
| Lumos Pro - Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


### Solar Eclipse Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-eclipse-timer/id1203105865)

This app provides precise countdowns and reminders for solar eclipse phenomena, aiding both casual observers and photographers. It works offline and offers features like automatic partial-phase image timing and a dedicated photographer mode.

**Highlights:** Offline eclipse timing, Precise contact time calculation, Photographer mode, Automatic partial-phase image timing, Geolocation and manual coordinate entry, Audio and notification tests

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total - 7/2/19; Chile, Argenti | $1.99 | one-time |
| Total - 12/14/20; Chile, Argen | $1.99 | one-time |
| Total – 12/4/21; Antarctica | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hybrid – 4/20/23; Australia | $1.99 | one-time |
| Total – 4/8/24; USA, Mexico | $1.99 | one-time |
| Solar Eclipse Timer | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate timing and announcements
- 👍 Enhanced eclipse viewing experience
- 🎉 Worked flawlessly for 2017 and 2024 eclipses
- 💡 Helpful for photographers and non-photographers
- 🔊 Useful audio cues and prompts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🔍 Confusing or cluttered user interface
- 🔋 Audio prompts not working in some cases
- 🗺️ Inaccurate location detection or totality information

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing when loading timing data
- Notifications not working when camera is in use
- Incorrect contact times displayed for some locations

**Requested features**

- Customizable reminders or timers
- Automatic time zone and location updates
- Lunar eclipse support
- Improved onboarding and tutorial
- Countdown timer with graphical depiction


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lumos free?

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

### Is Solar Eclipse Timer free?

Solar Eclipse Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lumos or Solar Eclipse Timer?

Lumos is rated higher. Lumos averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.7K ratings, while Solar Eclipse Timer averages 3.8 from 560 ratings.

### Do Lumos or Solar Eclipse Timer have ads?

Neither Lumos nor Solar Eclipse Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lumos or Solar Eclipse Timer?

Lumos ships an update every 3 weeks, and Solar Eclipse Timer monthly. Most recently, Lumos was updated on September 21, 2026 and Solar Eclipse Timer on September 20, 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.*