Comparison

SunCalc.net vs LightPlan

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SunCalc.net

This application provides real-time information about sunrise and sunset times. It also includes a compass, world time display, and weather forecasts, making it a comprehensive tool for understanding solar events and local conditions.

Highlights
  • Sunrise and sunset times
  • Integrated compass
  • World time display
  • Weather forecasts
  • Time zone awareness
Features
Read full description

SunCalc.net on your iPhone! Know the sunset time. Simple tool for everyone who wants to know when and where sun rises or goes down. Combined with compass and time, and weather. Knows time zones and shows time word wide - probably nicest tool to know the time at some place at the Earth, so far :)

About

LightPlan

Visualize the sun and moon's path in 3D on real-world terrain to plan outdoor photography. See golden hour, blue hour, and shadows with precision. Save locations and camera angles for perfect shots.

Highlights
  • Photorealistic 3D sun and moon visualization
  • Interactive timeline for golden hour and blue hour
  • 3D building shadow visualization
  • Smart location library with custom camera angles
  • Syncs locations across devices
  • Elevation charts and compass
Features
Read full description

Know exactly when the sun will light the façade, before you book the shoot. LightPlan shows where the sun will be and where the shadows will fall at any address, on any date, at any time. Find the building, slide the timeline, and see the light. That's it. Made for real estate and architecture photographers who would rather be shooting than learning an app. BOOK THE RIGHT HOUR, NOT A GUESS Your client wants the front elevation in full sun and the lobby glass without glare. Drop a pin on the property, scrub through the day and watch the sun swing across the building. You'll know which morning or afternoon gives you the light you need, and you can give the agent a time with confidence. SEE THE SHADOWS BEFORE THEY RUIN THE SHOT Neighbouring towers, trees and parking structures cast shadows you only discover on site. LightPlan's 3D shadow map shows how shadows move across the property through the day, so you can avoid the hour when half the façade goes dark. SCOUT WITHOUT DRIVING THERE Photorealistic 3D maps let you look at the building from the street or from above, the way your camera or drone will see it. Work out your angles at your desk and arrive knowing exactly where to set up. NAIL THE TWILIGHT EXTERIOR Twilight shoots are won or lost in a few minutes. LightPlan gives you sunset, golden hour, blue hour and twilight times for the exact location, so you're set up and lit before the sky turns. SHARE THE PLAN, SKIP THE BACK-AND-FORTH Send the agent, architect or your second shooter a link to the exact place, time and view. It opens in LightPlan or in any web browser, so nobody needs the app to see the plan. SIMPLE BY DESIGN No dashboards. Nothing to set up. One clean map and one timeline. If you can use Maps, you can use LightPlan, and you'll have your answer in seconds. ON EVERY DEVICE YOU WORK FROM Plan on your Mac at the office, walk the client through it on iPad, and check it on your iPhone on site. Saved locations sync through iCloud. Stop guessing at the light. Plan it. Privacy‑focused design · No ads, ever · Works worldwide Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://lightplan.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

SunCalc.net4 screens
LightPlan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SunCalc.net at none against LightPlan's 3. SunCalc.net also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 57%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. LightPlan sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SunCalc.net asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SunCalc.net holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SunCalc.net has 63 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of SunCalc.net's written reviews are positive against 57% of LightPlan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SunCalc.net ships an update every 6 weeks, LightPlan every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SunCalc.net versus LightPlan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSunCalc.netLightPlan
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (63 ratings) — better4.6 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews88.2% of reviews — better57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings63 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS12.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOleg ShanyukRivolu LLC

Customer experience

SunCalc.net

All ratings63 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive88.2%
Neutral4.9%
Negative6.9%

LightPlan

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%

Bugs and requests

SunCalc.net

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Sun angle disappears when changing date
  • Compass is not accurate
  • App crashes on older iOS versions
  • App crashes right after launch
  • Crashes at start
Show 3 more
  • Time zone error
  • Compass sign not accessible
  • Button to return map to North Up is unavailable

Requested features

17 requests
  • Display altitude and azimuth of the sun
  • Ability to set a specific time, not just current time
  • Option for Apple Maps or Open Source Maps
  • Compass feature for orientation
  • Add moon information
Show 12 more
  • Apple Watch version
  • Add sun attitude/angle in real time
  • Display hours/minutes of sunlight for the day
  • Add a moon app or functionality
  • Include twilight times
  • Add azimuth and angle of the pole star
  • Include a solar clock/sundial design calculator
  • Fix button to return map to North Up
  • Add sun arc and solar noon
  • Option to switch to metric units
  • Satellite imagery map mode
  • iPad app

LightPlan

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SunCalc.net

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

LightPlan

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Membership$59.99

Questions

Is SunCalc.net free?
SunCalc.net is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LightPlan free?
LightPlan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SunCalc.net or LightPlan?
SunCalc.net is rated higher. SunCalc.net averages 4.8 out of 5 from 63 ratings, while LightPlan averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.
Do SunCalc.net or LightPlan have ads?
Neither SunCalc.net nor LightPlan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SunCalc.net or LightPlan?
SunCalc.net ships an update every 6 weeks, and LightPlan every 3 weeks. Most recently, SunCalc.net was updated on October 21, 2026 and LightPlan on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons