NightCap Camera vs Aurora Lens
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NightCap Camera
Capture stunning low-light and night photos and videos with advanced features like long exposure, AI-powered controls, and specialized astrophotography modes. Achieve DSLR-like results and unlock your device's full potential in challenging lighting conditions.
- Low light and night photo/video capture
- Long exposure and motion blur effects
- Astrophotography modes (stars, aurora, ISS, meteors)
- AI camera control for automatic settings
- Manual gesture-based adjustments
- 4K time lapse recording
- ISO Boost for brighter low-light shots
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Photograph star trails or stunning smooth waterfalls. Capture a meteor mid-streak or traffic with light trails. And clear, detailed photos where there’s barely any light at all. One-time purchase, no subscription. ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY Four modes that automatically set the camera up for you. - Star Trails: watch the stars draw circles overhead - Meteors: automatic capture of shooting stars - ISS: the International Space Station passing over - Stars: starry skies and the Milky Way - New in version 10: Aurora, a time-lapse mode for the Northern and Southern Lights LONG EXPOSURE Hold the shutter open for seconds or minutes and movement becomes light. - Long Exposure: motion blur, or a cleaner shot when you hold still - Light Trails: traffic at night, fireworks, light painting - Both as time-lapse too, up to 4K with adjustable speed LOW LIGHT - ISO Boost for up to 4x beyond the standard camera range - Light Boost - Noise Reduction - Night Mode video and timelapse HANDHELD New in version 10. NightCap steadies and aligns every frame as you shoot, so long exposures no longer need a tripod. MANUAL CONTROL - Swipe to adjust exposure, ISO, focus and white balance - Camera Control on iPhone 16 and later - Zoom to 16x - Black and white mode Also includes an interval programmer, self-timer, and an Apple Watch app with live preview and remote control.
Aurora Lens
Capture stunning 4K timelapse videos of the aurora borealis, even faint ones, with an optimized camera and real-time alerts. No photography experience needed; the app automatically calibrates settings based on forecasts.
- 4K timelapse video capture
- Real-time aurora alerts
- Aurora forecasts
- Live aurora map
- Still frame extraction
- Apple Watch remote shutter
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Everything for the aurora chasers in one app: an aurora optimized camera, forecast with smart alerts to track the auroras, and a live aurora map. Seeing the northern lights is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Aurora Lens makes sure you keep it forever - even the auroras too faint to see with your own eyes. Rest your phone on a tripod or any steady surface, press the shutter, and Aurora Lens captures a 4K timelapse of the aurora over the next few minutes. No manual settings, no photography experience required. Smart calibration The moment you press record, Aurora Lens reads your local aurora forecast and tunes the camera to conditions automatically - so you get the best possible capture whether the sky is glowing or barely stirring. Features • A fluid 4K timelapse video, saved straight to your Photos • Real-time aurora alerts, including active storms • Aurora forecasts for your location • A still frame from your session • A live aurora forecast map for your location • An Apple Watch app that works as a remote shutter What you'll need A tripod or a steady surface to rest your phone on - that steadiness is what keeps the stars sharp and the aurora smooth. Whether you traveled across the world to chase the lights or caught them by surprise, Aurora Lens helps you capture the magic in stunning detail. We're dreamers and aurora chasers, just like you. Aurora Lens is our way of sharing the hope of a glowing night sky with everyone who looks up and wonders. Built with love in the PNW by Nebula AI Labs.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Aurora Lens at 5.0 against NightCap Camera's 4.3. Aurora Lens also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). NightCap Camera's advantage is ratings volume (3K vs 1) and chart position (#12 vs #124). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
NightCap Camera costs $2.99 and Aurora Lens $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Aurora Lens holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NightCap Camera has 3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
NightCap Camera ships an update every 3 weeks, Aurora Lens every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NightCap Camera | Aurora Lens |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (3K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #12 — better | #124 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RTD | Nebula AI Labs LLC |
Customer experience
NightCap Camera
Aurora Lens
Bugs and requests
NightCap Camera
Reported bugs
3 issues- Photos not saving properly
- Meteor mode not working as expected
- Compatibility issues with iOS 8 and iPhone 6 Plus
Requested features
5 requests- RAW image support
- Bluetooth remote shutter control
- Ability to save settings
- More exposure options
- Improved timelapse features
Aurora Lens
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NightCap Camera
No in-app purchases
Aurora Lens
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NightCap Camera free?
Is Aurora Lens free?
Which has better reviews, NightCap Camera or Aurora Lens?
Do NightCap Camera or Aurora Lens have ads?
Which is updated more often, NightCap Camera or Aurora Lens?
Which is more popular, NightCap Camera or Aurora Lens?
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