Best sunset prediction app for iPhone (October 2026)
A sunset prediction app tells you in advance whether the sky is likely to color up, not just when the sun goes down. Best for a simple 0 to 100 score and a free alert before the good ones: Sunset & Sunrise Prediction. Best for photographers who want Apple Watch support and flexible reminders: Alpenglow. Best for a community map of sky reports: Helio. Best for sunset forecasts plus night-sky and astronomy tools: Solora.
How we compared. I read each App Store listing and pulled its rating, update date and Apple Watch support from Apple's public lookup on October 30, 2026 (US storefront). I did not install the competing apps, so every claim about them comes from their listings. No independent test of forecast accuracy exists for these apps, so I do not rank them on accuracy. Jack Wallner makes Sunset & Sunrise Prediction, so read its entries with that in mind.
How do the sunset prediction apps compare?
Sunset & Sunrise Prediction gives a single score and a free alert, Alpenglow and Sunix add quality forecasts with reminders, Helio adds community reports, and Solora adds astronomy tools.
| App | Best for | Apple Watch app | Rating (count) | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset & Sunrise Prediction | A 0 to 100 score for every sunrise and sunset, with a free alert | No | No ratings yet | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Sunset Predictions: Alpenglow | Photographers who want times, quality forecasts, reminders and Apple Watch support | Yes | 4.51 (2,105) | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Helio: Sunset Forecast | Sunset ratings with community sky reports on a map | No | 4.21 (136) | Jun 2, 2026 |
| Sunset Prediction AI : Solora | Sunset forecasts plus night-sky and astronomy tools | Yes | 4.29 (7) | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Sunset Predictions: Sunix | Sunrise and sunset times, quality forecast and reminders | No | 4.50 (18) | May 25, 2026 |
Ratings, update dates and Apple Watch support come from Apple's App Store lookup on October 30, 2026. Sunset & Sunrise Prediction is new and has no ratings yet, so there is no score to compare.
Sunset & Sunrise Prediction
Sunset & Sunrise Prediction reads the cloud, humidity and visibility forecast for the minute the sun comes up or goes down and turns it into a 0 to 100 score. It looks for high and mid cloud around half cover, checks the low cloud 80 km toward the sun rather than only overhead, and counts clean, dry air in the score. A free alert goes out before the sunrises and sunsets that score well and is rebuilt as the forecast changes, so a sky that clouds over loses its alert. Sun+ is the optional upgrade, adding the full week, alerts before thunderstorms, rainbow chances and fog, and your own alert score and lead time. Scores come from the Open-Meteo weather models, only rounded coordinates leave your phone, and nothing is tracked or stored. The trade-offs: it is new with no ratings yet, it has no Apple Watch app, and a score is a good guide, not a guarantee.
Alpenglow
Alpenglow combines sunrise, sunset, golden hour and blue hour times with its own sunrise and sunset quality forecast. Its listing describes reminder alarms, custom locations, a sun direction map, an augmented reality sun path, Live Activities, widgets and Apple Watch support, and it works across iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, Apple TV and Vision Pro. You can submit field reports to help improve the forecast. Alpenglow is free to use, and the listing says Pro adds longer forecasts, quality-based notifications and watch complications. It is the most established option here, with the largest rating count. Choose it if you plan shoots and want a full toolkit.
Helio
Helio uses weather data and a machine learning model to rate each sunrise and sunset at your location. Its listing describes built-in weather, multi-day forecasts, Community Reports from people near you shown on a map, and Top Predicted Spots around the world. Premium extends the forecast range. Its listing does not mention an Apple Watch app, and its latest update shown is June 2026. Choose it if seeing what other people see in the sky matters to you.
Solora
Solora covers more than sunsets. Its listing describes sunrise and sunset quality heatmaps, weather forecasts, moon, Milky Way and light-pollution tools, northern lights forecasts and AI insights using Apple Intelligence. The sunrise and sunset quality maps are part of Solora Premium. It has few ratings so far. Choose it if you also care about astronomy and astrophotography.
Sunix
Sunix shows sunrise and sunset times, a quality forecast, golden hour and blue hour information, customizable reminders, widgets and a sun direction map. Its listing says Premium requires a paid subscription or inviting friends. It has a small number of ratings and no Apple Watch app listed. Choose it if you want a lightweight times-and-forecast app.
How do sunset prediction apps work?
They turn a weather forecast into a color score for one moment. The sky tends to color when there is high and mid cloud with a clear horizon toward the sun and clean, dry air.
- High and mid cloud around half cover catches the light, and thin cirrus with nothing beneath makes streaks.
- The light arrives from the east at sunrise and the west at sunset, so low cloud on that horizon can block it.
- Haze, rain and humidity wash the tones out.
Each app weighs these differently, and some add their own model or reports from users. Treat any score as a forecast.
Which should you pick?
For a simple score and a free alert, pick Sunset & Sunrise Prediction. For a fuller toolkit with Apple Watch support, pick Alpenglow.
- You want one score and an alert when a sunrise or sunset is worth going out for: Sunset & Sunrise Prediction.
- You plan photography shoots and want Apple Watch support: Alpenglow.
- You want to see sky reports from people nearby: Helio.
- You also want moon, Milky Way and aurora tools: Solora.
- You want a light times-and-forecast app: Sunix.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to predict sunsets?
It depends on the job. Sunset & Sunrise Prediction scores each sunrise and sunset from 0 to 100 with a free alert, Alpenglow adds Apple Watch and photography tools, and Helio adds a community map of sky reports.
How do apps predict whether a sunset will be good?
They read the weather forecast for the moment the sun rises or sets, mainly high and mid cloud, low cloud toward the sun, humidity and visibility, and turn it into a score. Some apps use their own model or reports from users.
Is there an app that alerts you to a good sunset?
Yes. Sunset & Sunrise Prediction sends a free alert before sunrises and sunsets that score well. Alpenglow and Sunix offer reminders, and the listings describe quality-based alerts in Alpenglow Pro.
How accurate are sunset prediction apps?
They are a good guide, not a guarantee. A score is only as good as the weather forecast behind it, and Sunset & Sunrise Prediction uses the Open-Meteo weather models, which will sometimes be wrong.
What does Sunset & Sunrise Prediction do with my location?
Only rounded coordinates leave your phone to fetch the forecast, and nothing is tracked or stored. It needs no account.
Which sunset app has an Apple Watch app?
Alpenglow and Solora list Apple Watch support, and Alpenglow's listing mentions complications. Sunset & Sunrise Prediction, Helio and Sunix do not list an Apple Watch app.