The 4 Best Weather Apps for iPhone

Psssst! You aren't stuck with the iOS default Weather app

By
Brad Stephenson
Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
  • Western Sydney University
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Updated on May 14, 2024

The iPhone weather app that comes installed on the device is a great weather app for beginners. However, there are alternative weather apps available that provide more accurate forecast data or display it in a way that's more in line with your personal tastes.

We've traveled far and wide, so we know getting the right weather forecast is crucial for staying prepared. Here are our recommendations for four useful iPhone weather apps you could be using instead of the default app you have installed right now.

01
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Most Beautiful Weather App: Weather Live°

What We Like

  • Includes an iPhone weather widget in the Notification Center.

  • App icon updates in real time to display the weather.

  • Spectacular imagery.

What We Don't Like

  • The app's text may be hard to read for some users due to the font choice.

  • Weather Live° isn't a free app, and subscriptions are expensive.

Weather Live° is one of the most comprehensive iOS weather apps out there with support for almost every kind of weather tracking—from temperature and rainfall to humidity and wind chill. Daily and weekly weather forecasts are available, and each is enhanced by dynamic weather photography in the background.

Weather Live° supports alert notifications, a special weather widget for the iPhone Notification Center, and an app icon on the Home Screen that changes appearance based on the current weather conditions; you don't need to open the app to check if it's raining. Ever found yourself asking what the best iOS weather app is? Weather Live° is it.

Weather Live° requires iOS 12.4 on iPhones and iPadOS 12.4 on iPads. It is compatible with Apple Watch. It is a free download with in-app purchase packages ranging from $9.99 per month to $39.99 per year.

02
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Best Free Weather App: WeatherBug

What We Like

  • The app is free (with ads).

  • The app is full-featured with plenty of data.

  • Includes live radar and interactive maps.

What We Don't Like

  • There is a small fee for ad-free weather.

  • The iOS app isn't as robust as the Android version.

Finally, a full-featured weather app that doesn't require a subscription. WeatherBug comes with forecasts that range from pollen levels to storm warnings. It delivers real-time forecasts lightning fast. The app covers local, national, and worldwide locations (it claims to forecast for 2.6 million locations) and includes interactive maps and live radar. The app comes with plenty of customization options.

WeatherBug is a free app that requires iOS 10 or later on iPhones or iPadOS 10 or later on iPads. It is compatible with Apple Watch. If you don't want to see the ads, nuke them for $0.99/month or $9.99/year.

03
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Weather With Most Attitude: CARROT Weather

What We Like

  • You can dial down (or up!) the snark level.

  • Multiple weather data sources.

  • Home screen widget.

  • Family subscription is available.

What We Don't Like

  • Most of the interesting features require a subscription.

  • Subscriptions recur automatically and are costly.

If you like your weather delivered with a dose of snark and your forecasts on the twisted side, CARROT Weather is for you. The super accurate weather data is front and center and delivers current, hourly, and daily forecasts.

This 2021 Apple Design Award winner is easy on the eyes and crazy powerful. When you're not consulting it for the weather, unlock some of the 60 achievements or track down secret locations by following clues.

Some of the personality levels contain occasional references to mild sexual content, profanity, crude humor, and suggestive themes that may offend some users, but the app comes with a Professional setting option that dials all that back.

All this goodness doesn't come cheap. The download is free, but you'll need one of the recurring premium monthly or annual subscriptions that range from $4.99 to $9.99 monthly or $19.99 to $39.99 per year for all the bells and whistles.

CARROT Weather is compatible with iOS and iPadOS 13 or later and with Apple Watch.

04
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Best for Weather Pros: RadarScope

What We Like

  • Reliable radar imagery from a variety of sites around the world.

  • A great option for the science or weather buff.

What We Don't Like

  • Definitely not an iPhone weather app for the average person.

  • Expensive app and subscription prices.

  • Apple Watch version is buggy.

RadarScope is a high-end iPhone app for those more interested in the science behind the day's weather than casually checking for the chance of rain. The app allows you to view NEXRAD Level 3 and Super-Resolution radar data to track storms, tornados, and other weather conditions in surprising detail, with data updated every few minutes.

With a $9.99 initial cost and additional in-app purchases for membership subscriptions ranging from $9.99 to $99, RadarScope is very much an app for the dedicated weather enthusiast and not the casual user.

RadarScope is compatible with iPhone with iOS 12 or later, iPad with iPadOS 12 or later, and Apple Watch.

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