Comparison

Weather Models vs LuckGrib

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Weather Models

Access detailed weather maps directly from NOAA, featuring various atmospheric models. Visualize parameters like temperature, precipitation, wind, and severe weather potential.

Highlights
  • NOAA weather maps
  • GFS, WRF, NAM, HRRR models
  • Temperature maps
  • Precipitation forecasts
  • Wind speed visualization
  • Severe weather potential (thunderstorm, lightning, tornado)
  • Simulated radar
Features
Read full description

The Weather Models application provides you with maps directly from NOAA. The models currently listed in the application is the GFS, WRF, NAM & HRRR models. We have maps with various parameters such as temperatures, CAPE, thunderstorm potential, lightning potential, tornado potential, precipitation, winds, cloud cover and simulated radars.

About

LuckGrib

This app provides advanced weather data visualization, downloading, and routing for sailors and weather enthusiasts. It offers access to a wide range of global and high-resolution weather and ocean models, with features for optimizing routes and analyzing complex weather parameters. Remote access via satellite is also supported.

Highlights
  • GRIB file reader, viewer, and downloader
  • Advanced weather routing and route analysis
  • Satellite data access
  • High-resolution global and regional weather models
  • Ocean current models
  • Detailed weather parameter analysis
Features
Read full description

LuckGrib is a fully featured, easy to use, fast GRIB reader, viewer, downloader and weather router. Remote access to weather data via satellite. Advanced weather routing capabilities, for sailors, is available. Weather forecast data, packaged as GRIB files, can be downloaded directly from the LuckGrib server cluster. Downloads are available via: a direct high speed internet connection, or through the Iridium GO! as well as through the RedPort Optimizer. For sailors, LuckGrib offers a best-in-class, complete solution: industry leading visualization and ease of use, highly optimized weather data downloads via satellite, along with industry leading optimized weather routing and route analysis. Inshore sailors may not require satellite downloads, but will benefit from the rest of the system. LuckGrib is unique among apps that were originally designed for sailors, in that the weather analysis tools are powerful enough to attract attention from meteorologitsts. For sailors, meteorologists, and all weather enthusiasts, LuckGrib offers access to a wide range of high resolutions models, a number of global models, weather data at the surface, 850mb, 500mb and 250mb levels, parameters ranging from simple things such as wind, pressure and temperature, to more advanced quantities such as simulated radar, standard deviations, precipitable water, lightning, vertical vorticity, helicity and more. LuckGrib is a thoroughly modern and advanced GRIB viewer. LuckGrib provides access to many weather and ocean models, including global models such as GFS and ECMWF along with many high resolution models, which vary according to the region you are interested in. In the USA, there is the HRRR, NAM, NBM and many others. In Europe there is Icon-EU, Arpège, Arome, the Danish DINI and others. There are several ocean current models, such as the global RTOFS and Mercator Ocean, along with regional higher resolution models such as OFS, NCOM, CMEMS and others. The LuckGrib weather routing system is an industry leading, high quality, robust, high performance and comprehensive system. The LuckGrib isochronal Weather Routing solver has many unique features, such as being able to respect constraints (points that must be left to port or starboard,) deal with routes which require you to heave-to, outstanding visualization and interactivity features, and much more. LuckGrib comes with a 14 day free trial, or free access to reduced resolution downloads (LuckGrib Lite) for users who do not require access to the most accurate data. If you are interested in studying weather and gaining access to detailed weather forecasts, download the app and give it a try. Downloading data via satellite requires the Offshore Data in-app purchase. Access to the isochronal weather routing system requires an in-app purchase. Note that LuckGrib does not use a subscription pricing model - after the free trial, when you decide to purchase the app, there will be a one time charge, not an ongoing subscription. For more details, please visit the support website. * for details on the offshore data system: https://offshore.luckgrib.com * for details on weather routing: https://routing.luckgrib.com * for details on weather models: https://luckgrib.com/models * the privacy policy: https://luckgrib.com/privacy * terms of use: https://luckgrib.com/terms-of-use * end user license agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Weather Models3 screens
LuckGrib4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LuckGrib at 93% against Weather Models's 0%. LuckGrib also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.1) and ads (none vs shown). Weather Models's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.4). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. LuckGrib sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Weather Models asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LuckGrib holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LuckGrib has 343 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Weather Models's written reviews are positive against 93% of LuckGrib's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Weather Models ships an update every 25 months, LuckGrib every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Weather Models versus LuckGrib: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWeather ModelsLuckGrib
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.1 (18 ratings)4.9 (343 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews92.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings18343 — better
Update frequencyEvery 25 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better18.4
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB173 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developercorey hoggardCraig McPheeters

Customer experience

Weather Models

All ratings18 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral5.6%
Negative94.4%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

LuckGrib

All ratings338 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral2.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews124 reviews
Positive92.7%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.8%

Bugs and requests

Weather Models

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

LuckGrib

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Reported issues with 'no wind data for start time'
  • Occasional app crashes or freezes

Requested features

3 requests
  • Integration with boat instruments and data logging
  • More advanced routing options and customization
  • Improved support for regional weather models

In-app purchases

None

Weather Models

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

LuckGrib

One-time6
  • 14-day TrialFree
  • 14 day trial of Offshore DataFree
  • 14 day Weather Routing trialFree
Show 3 more
  • LuckGrib weather data access$29.99
  • Premium Offshore Data access$59.99
  • Weather Routing access$59.99

Questions

Is Weather Models free?
Weather Models is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LuckGrib free?
LuckGrib is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Weather Models or LuckGrib?
LuckGrib is rated higher. Weather Models averages 1.1 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while LuckGrib averages 4.9 from 343 ratings.
Do Weather Models or LuckGrib have ads?
Weather Models shows ads; LuckGrib does not.
Which is updated more often, Weather Models or LuckGrib?
Weather Models ships an update every 25 months, and LuckGrib every 2 months. Most recently, Weather Models was updated on October 22, 2026 and LuckGrib on October 24, 2026.

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