SunCast vs Sun Tracker AR: which sun tracker is more complete?
SunCast is the more complete sun tracker for planning light at real locations and testing how shadows will change.
By Peter Szucs Last reviewed: August 5, 2026
Quick verdict
SunCast is the more complete sun tracker. Both apps cover AR sun paths, interactive maps, solar times, widgets, and event reminders, but SunCast goes further with real building and terrain shadows, Street View, hourly cloud cover, and a persistent multi-object Construction Mode. Sun Tracker AR remains a competent choice if you specifically want solar data tables, eclipse and day/night views, or calendar events.
This comparison uses full feature sets and intentionally avoids pricing differences.
SunCast is strongest for
- Complete AR and map planning with real-world shadows
- Persistent, multi-object construction shadow studies
- Weather-aware planning and native solar alarms
Sun Tracker AR may still fit for
- Solar tables, eclipse/solstice/equinox data, and day/night maps
- Adding sunrise, sunset, or eclipse events to a calendar
Side-by-side feature comparison
| Feature | SunCast | Sun Tracker AR | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR sun path | Yes | Yes | Helps you visualize the sun's trajectory and lighting conditions before they occur. |
| Interactive map planning | Yes | Yes | Lets you plan sunlight at any location before arriving. |
| Building and terrain shadows | Yes | No | Reveals whether buildings or terrain will block the light you need. |
| Custom object shadow simulation | Multiple 3D blocks | Single cube or tree | Shows how proposed buildings could change surrounding light before they appear on the map. |
| Building solar information | Yes | No | Provides building-level solar potential, panel capacity, annual sunshine, and estimated energy output. |
| Street-view remote scouting | Yes | No | Lets you inspect a distant location's sun path without being there. |
| Cloud and weather context | Hourly cloud cover | No | Shows whether cloud cover may hide the light or shadows you planned for. |
| Solar event reminders | Alarms and notifications | Calendar alerts | Turns a chosen solar event into a reminder or wake-up alarm. |
Why SunCast?
It covers the fundamentals and adds context
SunCast includes AR sun paths, map planning, solar data, widgets, and reminders, then adds building and terrain shadows, Street View, and cloud cover.
Its construction tools scale beyond one object
Place and save multiple blocks, then adjust each object's width, height, depth, position, and rotation to compare planned layouts.
Its alarms are built for action
Native Solar Alarms can sound through Do Not Disturb, making them useful for wake-ups and other time-critical sun events.
Detailed comparison
AR and map planning
SunCast. SunCast includes AR sun-path visualization and interactive map planning. It adds 3D shadows from real buildings, hillshade, Street View sun paths, hourly cloud cover, giving you a fuller picture of the light an actual location is likely to receive.
Sun Tracker AR. Sun Tracker AR covers the fundamentals well, including AR solar paths, 2D and 3D map views, compass mode, sun times, and planning for different dates and locations. It does not add real building and terrain shadows, Street View, or weather context to those views, however.
Construction and shadow testing
SunCast. SunCast's Construction Mode supports multiple saved objects at any location. Each block can be moved, rotated, and sized. it remains on the map and casts shadows alongside existing buildings. This makes it practical for comparing layouts or testing the combined impact of several planned structures.
Sun Tracker AR. Sun Tracker AR includes a simpler shadow simulator with one cube or tree and a target point for estimating time in shade versus direct light. The object cannot be combined with additional planned objects and is not saved across sessions.
Solar data, widgets, and reminders
SunCast. SunCast shows sunrise, sunset, golden hour, blue hour, twilight phases, azimuth, elevation, shadow ratio, and day length, with widgets for at-a-glance updates. Solar Info adds a mapped building's roof potential and estimated output. It also adds hourly cloud cover and native Solar Alarms that can sound through Do Not Disturb, e.g. when you want to wake with sunrise.
Sun Tracker AR. Sun Tracker AR can present solar information in tables and adds dedicated solstice, equinox, eclipse, daylight-chart, and day/night views. It also provides a sunrise and sunset widget and can create calendar events.
Bottom line
SunCast is the better sun tracker for most planning work because it covers the same core AR, map, solar-data, widget, and reminder needs, then adds realistic building and terrain shadows, Street View, cloud cover, and a substantially more capable Construction Mode. Sun Tracker AR is a competent alternative for users who specifically prefer table-based solar reference, eclipse tools, or calendar events.
Try SunCast
SunCast combines AR sun path, 3D shadows, street-view scouting, cloud cover, Construction Mode, and Solar Alarm for iPhone and iPad sunlight planning.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check a building's solar potential?
SunCast lets you select a mapped building to view roof solar potential, panel capacity, annual sunshine, and estimated energy output. Sun Tracker AR can show daily sunlight hours for a side of a building, but does not provide the same building-level solar-information workflow.
Does SunCast have shadow simulation?
Yes. SunCast shows 3D shadows from existing buildings and terrain. Construction Mode also lets you place, customize, and save multiple planned objects to preview their combined shadow impact.
Which app is better for remote location scouting?
SunCast is stronger for remote scouting because it includes street-view sun path planning and cloud-cover context.
