# SunLocation vs Shadowmap

SunLocation and Shadowmap both sit at 3.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 45% of Shadowmap's written reviews are positive against 12% of SunLocation's. Shadowmap also leads on chart position (#119 vs unranked) and ratings volume (6 vs 2). SunLocation's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SunLocation sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Shadowmap sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shadowmap holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of SunLocation's written reviews are positive against 45% of Shadowmap's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SunLocation | Shadowmap |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunlocation/id861850891/reviews) | **[3.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmap-sunlight-and-shade/id1566789060/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 12.0% of reviews | **45.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#119** |
| Size | 17 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yoshitaka Watanabe](https://appshunter.io/developer/599401659) | [Shadowmap Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/470503999) |

## What reviewers say

### SunLocation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunlocation/id861850891)

This app displays the current sun's position and altitude, synchronizing with your device's compass. It also offers an optional add-on to hide ads and view moon positions, phases, and altitude graphs.

**Highlights:** Current sun position and altitude, Compass synchronization, Moon position and phases display, Altitude graphs for sun and moon, Distance graph for the moon, Ad-free option with add-on

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Moon position and age, etc. | $0.99 | one-time |


### Shadowmap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmap-sunlight-and-shade/id1566789060)

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Free · Weather, #122 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Analyze sunlight and shadows for any location worldwide. Optimize solar energy, assess real estate, plan photography, and find ideal outdoor spots. Offers advanced 3D editing and data export capabilities.

**Highlights:** Sun and shadow simulation, Solar energy optimization, Real estate and architecture analysis, Photography and cinematography planning, 3D world editing, Solar data export to CSV

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shadowmap Home – Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Shadowmap Home – Monthly Trial | $9.99 | per month |
| Shadowmap Explorer – Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Shadowmap Explorer – Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Shadowmap Studio – Monthly | $59.99 | per month |
| Shadowmap Studio – Yearly | $59.99 | per month |
| Shadowmap Home – Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Shadowmap Home – Yearly Trial | $99.99 | per year |
| Shadowmap Studio – Yearly | $599.99 | per year |
| Shadowmap Studio – Yearly | $599.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SunLocation free?

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

### Is Shadowmap free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SunLocation or Shadowmap?

Shadowmap is rated higher. SunLocation averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Shadowmap averages 3.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do SunLocation or Shadowmap have ads?

Neither SunLocation nor Shadowmap shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SunLocation or Shadowmap?

SunLocation ships an update every 6 weeks, and Shadowmap every 6 weeks. Most recently, SunLocation was updated on October 29, 2026 and Shadowmap on October 27, 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.*