SunreachComparisons · Updated
Sunreach vs SunCast: terrain shadows vs sun-on-spot times
SunCast (listed as "Sun Tracker & Seeker: SunCast") shows the sun's path in AR and casts terrain and building shadows on a 3D map in its Pro tier, with solar-panel estimates and alarms. Sunreach answers with times: when direct sun is on a chosen spot each day, from 2 m lidar where available and 40 m terrain elsewhere.
Sunreach is a 3D and AR sun tracker for iPhone and iPad, coming soon to the App Store. This guide describes the current app; planned upgrades are listed separately. Terrain coverage varies by location.
What is the main difference between Sunreach and SunCast?
SunCast is visual and broad (AR, shadows on a map, roof and solar-panel estimates, solar alarms) and aimed at homes and solar as much as photography. Sunreach is built for one question, when light is on a spot, and answers with minutes, the terrain used and its accuracy.
| Sunreach | SunCast | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to download. Sunreach Pro at launch: €24.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or €3.99 a month | Free (your location, today only); Pro $59.99/year or $6.99/month, 7-day trial |
| Platforms | iOS 26 or later (iPhone and iPad) | iPhone and iPad (iOS 18.6 or later) |
| Sun-on-spot times with terrain | Yes. Times when direct sun is on the spot, every day of the year | No time ranges; terrain shadows shown on a 3D map (Pro) |
| Terrain data | 40 m terrain everywhere (from 30 m elevation data), 50 × 50 km around the spot. 2 m lidar ground, fetched for any spot, in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Flanders, Czechia, Poland, Norway, Finland, Estonia, four German states and where USGS 3DEP covers the USA; 5 m in Spain; demo areas in Slovenia, France, Austria and Trentino (coverage) | Not stated in the listing |
| Trees and buildings in the skyline | Not for now: skylines use bare ground everywhere (lidar ground in supported countries, 40 m terrain elsewhere) | Mapped buildings cast shadows (Pro); trees not mentioned |
| Accuracy stated | Estimated per answer: ±1 min with 2 m data, ±5 min with 40 m terrain, plus atmospheric and local-data uncertainty | Not stated |
| Golden hour that reaches the spot | Yes: golden and blue hour by the sky plus "low warm light on the spot" | Golden and blue hour by the sky |
| 3D view | 3D terrain with shadows, eye level you can walk and frame with any lens from 16 to 400 mm, a 3D city view with buildings and their shadows, and a drone camera with height and hyperlapse controls | 3D map with shadows; Street View with the sun path |
| Augmented reality | AR sun path where you stand; it lines itself up on the sun, and on the skyline when you tap to look for it. Alignment is still undergoing real-device validation | AR sun path |
| Weather | Apple Weather forecast, peak light after sunset (which peaks stay lit and for how long, with a go or don’t-go from the clouds) and a valley-fog outlook with the summits above it | Cloud cover forecast |
| Polariser guide | Yes: where a polariser darkens the sky most for any minute, how much of the effect the forecast cloud leaves, the band in AR and 3D, wide-lens and water-glare notes | Not in the feature list (checked 28 October 2026) |
Competitor details checked on 28 October 2026 from SunCast's US App Store listing and help pages (linked below). Prices change; check the store in your region.
Which one shows when the sun reaches a spot behind mountains?
Sunreach gives the time range when the spot is in direct sun for any day; SunCast shows terrain shadows on its 3D map, which you scrub through the day yourself. In SunCast, other places and dates need the Pro tier.
A shadow map is good for an overview ("which side of the valley is lit at 4 pm?"); a time range is better for planning a visit or a shoot ("the terrace is in sun 09:12–15:40"). The Bovec post shows what such a year of times looks like.
Sunreach computes this for any spot on Earth, from the real terrain around it. Get the app ↓
Where is SunCast better?
Homes and solar. SunCast estimates roof area, panel capacity and yearly sunny hours for buildings, has a construction mode for placing buildings, Street View with the sun path, solar alarms and, since late October 2026, solar eclipses in its live and Street View.
Where is Sunreach better?
Mountains and precision. Sunreach computes the skyline from 2 m lidar ground in supported countries across Europe and the USA, reports minutes of direct sun and of low golden light on the spot, and has an AR sun path where you stand plus alignment search.
Sunreach also forecasts the aurora for your own spot: NOAA’s live oval on a night globe, the Kp the place needs over its skyline toward the pole (the red glow of big storms counted), the best hour of the night from the oval’s turn toward magnetic midnight, where to drive tonight, aurora alerts and a widget. See what Kp you need to see the aurora.
Which should you choose?
For house hunting and solar panels, SunCast. For photography and trips in the mountains, where the question is the minute the sun clears a ridge and whether low sunlight reaches the pin, Sunreach.
Frequently asked questions
Is SunCast free?
The free version covers your current location for today only. Other places, past and future dates, and terrain and building shadows need SunCast Pro ($59.99 a year or $6.99 a month on the US App Store, checked October 2026).
Does SunCast show when the sun goes behind a mountain?
It shows terrain shadows on its 3D map in Pro, so you can scrub the time and see when a place falls into shadow. It does not list sun-on-spot times.
Sources
Ask AI about this article: ChatGPT · Perplexity · Claude · Google AI Mode