La Crosse View vs SmokeCast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
La Crosse View
Monitor your home and outdoor environment with real-time data and custom alerts. Track temperature, humidity, water leaks, and more from your Wi-Fi weather stations and monitoring systems. Get personalized notifications and view historical data trends directly on your mobile device.
- Remote sensor monitoring
- Custom push notification alerts
- Data graphs for daily trends
- Data exports for historical tracking
- Manage multiple locations/devices
- Connects weather stations to Wi-Fi
- Monitor water detection and temperature
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La Crosse View is the companion app for La Crosse Technology Wi-Fi Weather Stations and Alert & Monitoring Systems. Stay connected to your environment—both outdoors and throughout your home—with real-time data and custom alerts sent directly to your mobile devices. PRIMARY FEATURES • Remote Sensor Monitoring • Custom Push Notification Alerts • Data Graphs for Daily Trends • Data Exports for Historical Tracking • Personalized App Experience [Custom Images, Naming, Device Order] • Ability to Share Devices • Manage Numerous Locations/Devices with One Account • Connects Weather Stations/Gateways to Wi-Fi • Controls Forecast Settings Unique to Wi-Fi Weather Stations WI-FI WEATHER STATIONS La Crosse View allows you to remotely track weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind, rain, and more, giving you access to hyperlocal data from sensors right in your backyard. The app is required to connect weather station displays to Wi-Fi, program location settings to receive local Internet weather forecasts on the stations, and set up Data Streams for custom messaging and weather updates. ALERT & MONITORING SYSTEMS Monitor water detection for basements, sinks, and appliances, temperature throughout your home (or in the freezer), humidity in various spaces, open/closed status of doors and gates, pool conditions, food temps, and more. La Crosse View is required to connect Bridge Gateways (sensor relays) to Wi-Fi, set and receive custom app alerts, and view data remotely, anytime, anywhere. EASY SETUP & MANAGEMENT La Crosse View features a guided walkthrough that ensures Weather Stations and Bridge Gateways sync with your Wi-Fi network, and wireless sensors are easily paired with your app. From there, customize sensor locations with personal images for easy reference, view detailed graphs to study trends over time, manage multiple locations and devices from one application, and share access with family members as needed. Whether you're setting up your first sensor or expanding a system as your needs grow, La Crosse View supports your journey—from first home to dream home. POPULAR USE CASES Indoor Monitoring • Basement temp & humidity • Freezer or refrigerator temperature alerts • Nursery or bedroom comfort monitoring • Wine cellar or storage room conditions Outdoor Monitoring • Backyard weather conditions • Pool and hot tub temperature • Garden and greenhouse environments Appliance & Utility Areas • Water heater monitoring • Washing machine area leak detection • Sump pump area conditions • Garage and basement freeze warnings Outbuildings & Unconditioned Spaces • Barns and sheds • Detached garages • Pavilions and event spaces • Ice shanties and seasonal shelters Hobby & Specialty Uses • BBQ and smoker temperature tracking • Musical instrument protection • Home brewing climate • Pet habitat monitoring • Humidor conditions • Vehicle storage temperature Entry Points & Security-Adjacent • Door and window contact status • Cabinets or mailbox open/closed status • Gate position monitoring • Workshop or storage access HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS To receive data, the La Crosse View app requires a La Crosse Technology Wi-Fi Weather Station or Bridge Gateway with at least one compatible sensor. Visit www.lacrossetechnology.com/pages/la-crosse-view for more details and to explore available systems and sensors. ABOUT LA CROSSE TECHNOLOGY Family-owned and operated out of La Crosse, WI, since 1983, we strive to create innovative products that inform, inspire, and enhance everyday life. Harnessing the power of monitoring, time, and weather, with a deep focus on reliability, we assure accurate information and lasting value.
SmokeCast
This app provides a 72-hour forecast of wildfire smoke and air quality, hour by hour. It uses EPA monitor data to correct NOAA's forecast, showing you where smoke is and when it will clear. Plan outdoor activities and protect your health by knowing current and future air conditions.
- 72-hour animated smoke forecast
- Hourly air quality predictions
- Corrected NOAA forecast with EPA data
- View air quality at breathing level
- Compare air quality between locations
- Active fire mapping
- Save favorite locations
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SmokeCast shows where wildfire smoke is now and where it is headed, hour by hour for the next 3 days, so you can plan around it. Pick the clear trailhead instead of the smoky one. Reschedule a soccer game. Close the windows before the smoke arrives, and know when it will pass. Before you see the map, SmokeCast corrects NOAA's forecast with live readings from about 1,200 EPA air monitors. Then it grades itself in public, every night. How it works SmokeCast starts with NOAA's RRFS smoke model. It compares the model to what EPA monitors are measuring right now and adjusts the forecast to match. Each night it checks yesterday's forecasts against what monitors actually measured and posts the score at smokecast.org/accuracy.html. Recent results: a typical miss of about 8.9 AQI points, and 88% of forecasts within 25 points of the measured value. The raw model misses by 12.1 and manages 79%. What you get - An animated map that shows smoke arriving, moving, and clearing, hour by hour for 72 hours - Two views: air quality at breathing level, and smoke overhead for high haze - Tap any place for its reading, and compare places to find cleaner air - Near a monitor the current reading is the measured value. Elsewhere it comes from the corrected forecast - Current ozone shown when it is worse than particle pollution - Active fires as diamonds and heat detections as dots, with size, containment, and perimeters - Save favorite places and check them at a glance - Drop a pin on a trailhead or campsite - Readings over the whole map, not just cities It is built for anyone trying to stay ahead of the smoke. It is free. No ads, no account, no tracking. Location is optional and never leaves your phone. A fresh scorecard is posted every night at smokecast.org/accuracy.html. SmokeCast is an independent planning tool, not an official air-quality forecast, an emergency warning service, or medical advice. For safety and health decisions, follow local authorities and your clinician.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SmokeCast at 100% against La Crosse View's 26%. SmokeCast also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). La Crosse View's advantage is ratings volume (82K vs 3) and chart position (#65 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. La Crosse View sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and SmokeCast sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
SmokeCast holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: La Crosse View has 82K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of La Crosse View's written reviews are positive against 100% of SmokeCast's.
La Crosse View ships an update every 2 months, SmokeCast every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | La Crosse View | SmokeCast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (82K ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 82K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #65 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | La Crosse Technology | Kyle Allred |
Customer experience
La Crosse View
SmokeCast
Bugs and requests
La Crosse View
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes or freezes unexpectedly
- Sensor data not syncing correctly
- Incorrect weather readings or forecasts
- Difficulty adding or managing devices
- Subscription and billing issues
Requested features
5 requests- Expand data history and graphing options
- Add more customization and alert settings
- Improve WiFi setup and reconnection process
- Integrate with more third-party weather services
- Provide better documentation and support resources
SmokeCast
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
La Crosse View
- Enhanced 1 Month Service Plan1 Month trial$1.991 Month
- Advanced 1 Month Service Plan1 Month trial$2.991 Month
- Plus 1 Month Service Plan1 Month trial$4.991 Month
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- Enhanced 1 Year Service Plan1 Month trial$11.991 Year
- Advanced 1 Year Service Plan1 Month trial$24.991 Year
- Plus 1 Year Service Plan1 Month trial$29.991 Year
SmokeCast
- Small tip$2.99
- Medium tip$8.99
- Large Tip$19.99
Questions
Is La Crosse View free?
Is SmokeCast free?
Which has better reviews, La Crosse View or SmokeCast?
Do La Crosse View or SmokeCast have ads?
Which is updated more often, La Crosse View or SmokeCast?
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