Lightning Simulator vs Rest
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lightning Simulator
Simulate a lightning storm with visual effects using your device's backlight and LED flash, accompanied by realistic thunder audio. Customize storm distance and set sleep timers for a unique ambiance.
- Backlight and LED flash simulation
- Realistic thunder audio
- 5 unique storm types
- Customizable storm distance
- Adjustable sleep timers
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This is for all the lightning lovers out there. Turn your room into a thunderstorm. Lightning plays immersive thunderstorm soundscapes and syncs the light to the thunder: the screen dims to black, then pulses and flashes with every rumble — and on the loudest strikes, fires the camera flash like real lightning. Set the storm's distance and the thunder trails the flash, just as it does in a real storm. Best experienced in a dark room, with the screen and camera flash exposed and the audio through speakers or headphones. Made to fall asleep to. A sleep timer gently fades the audio and light to black instead of cutting out, so it never jolts you awake. FREE • The Starter Storm, full flash + thunder experience • Storm distance (flash-to-thunder delay) • Sleep timer with a gentle fade-out LIGHTNING PRO — one-time purchase, yours forever • Every storm — all six soundscapes • Immersion modes — screen-only, soft ambient glow, and warm-to-cool lightning color • Haptic thunder — feel every strike • Storm control — strike intensity and an approaching-storm mode • Gapless playlists with seamless crossfade • A StandBy / Lock Screen storm clock widget • Longer overnight sleep timers • Save custom presets No accounts, no tracking, no ads. Everything runs on-device. Already bought the old Storm Expansion? Tap Restore, you're upgraded to Lightning Pro for free. Relax and unwind, Go ahead, Enjoy the Storm.
Rest
This app offers a collection of audiovisual mantras designed to promote relaxation and improve sleep. Its minimalistic interface helps users focus on calming nature sounds and visuals to reduce anxiety and enhance mindfulness practices.
- Audiovisual mantras
- Nature soundscapes
- Minimalistic design
- Relaxation aid
- Sleep enhancement
- Mindfulness tool
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REST is a beautiful and minimalistic app that helps you to ease into sleep mindfully. It offers twelve stunning audiovisual mantras that you can watch or listen to, ideally after connecting to your bluetooth speaker. The app is designed to be free of distractions so you can focus on yourself. Do you want to wake up rested? Make it part of your evening routine by watching the visually soothing pieces for a bit and ease into a better sleep. It can calm you down in troubling times when you need more relaxation than usual. Do you meditate or do yoga? Use it to set the mood in a new way. If you struggle with anxiety coming up, choose a meaningful mantra for you and come back to it anywhere and anytime you need it. Select one of the pieces and let go. Feel the sand between your toes at the beach, hear the soothing birds, experience the power of within, the warmth of the mystic fire, stay in the serenity of a garden, explore the calm jungle, enjoy the cool rain, listen to the dampening snow, take in the slow and rumbling thunder, the fresh air at the waterfall, the mild wind or wander in the peaceful woods. The vastness of the great outdoors - whenever you want to feel a little bit more connected and grounded. REST was coded in Berlin. It is free for a limited time - download it now.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Rest at none against Lightning Simulator's 2. Rest also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Lightning Simulator's advantage is ratings volume (101 vs 2). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Lightning Simulator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Rest asks for nothing beyond the download.
Rest holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Simulator has 101 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Lightning Simulator ships an update every 4 months, Rest fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lightning Simulator | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (101 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 86.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 101 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 14.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 240 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Foxbit Software Ltd. | Anil Macwan |
Customer experience
Lightning Simulator
Rest
In-app purchases
Lightning Simulator
- Storm Expansion Pack$1.99
- Lightning Pro$1.99
Rest
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Lightning Simulator free?
Is Rest free?
Which has better reviews, Lightning Simulator or Rest?
Do Lightning Simulator or Rest have ads?
Which is updated more often, Lightning Simulator or Rest?
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