Comparison

Tempest Weather vs Swellwire

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

Head to head
About

Tempest Weather

This app requires a separate sensor device to provide real-time weather conditions, lightning and rain alerts, and accurate forecasts. It integrates with smart home services to optimize energy, water usage, and alert you to approaching storms.

Highlights
  • Real-time weather conditions
  • Lightning and rain alerts
  • Accurate 10-day forecast
  • Smart home integration
  • Historical weather data
  • Customizable data sharing
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

This app requires the Tempest sensor device, which is available to buy separately. Need to set up and configure your Tempest Weather System? The Tempest app will walk you through a few simple steps, including connecting your home’s WiFi network. Once you’re up and running the app will quickly become your go-to for real-time weather conditions, lightning and rain alerts, and the most accurate forecast for your location - guaranteed. Data available in the Tempest app includes: Temp, humidity, dew point, feels like, heat index Barometric pressure, sea-level pressure, trends Lightning detection and alerts up to 40 km Wind, UV, solar irradiance Rain rate, accumulation, rain onset alerts 10-day forecast Historical weather data graphs Smart Home Ready: Use this app to save time, energy, and water by integrating with popular smart home and irrigation services. Use your weather data to optimize heating and cooling, adjust your irrigation schedule, and alert your family when lightning storms approach. Tempest is compatible with Google Assistant, Rachio, IFTTT, Siri, Alexa, Homey, and many more. Weather Geek Worthy: The Tempest device features an all-in-one sensor and long-range wireless connectivity (1000ft), sonic anemometer, and haptic rain sensor, but it is far more than just a cutting-edge piece of hardware. Each Tempest leverages WeatherFlow-Tempest’s patented Nearcast Technology™, which feeds real-time observed weather data from your backyard into a machine learning system to dramatically improve forecast accuracy where it matters most. Completely Customizable: Tempest’s open API and shareable data enable third-party use, with built-in publication to desktop software and online services.

About

Swellwire

Visualize global ocean conditions with a 3D globe. Get detailed forecasts for swell, wind, and weather at any coastline, from immediate conditions to two weeks ahead. Plan your next surf session or marine activity with comprehensive data.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D globe with weather overlays
  • Live wave height and energy data
  • Detailed surf spot forecasts
  • Buoy data integration
  • Searchable surf spots and buoys
  • Favorite spots sync across devices
  • 16-day forecast extension (Premium)
Features
Read full description

Swellwire turns the world ocean into a planner. Spin the globe, drop into any coast, and read the swell, wind, and weather in seconds—right now, tomorrow, or two weeks out. WHAT YOU GET • Interactive 3D globe with live wave-height, wave-energy, wind, and temperature overlays. Pan, pinch, and tap to explore any shoreline on the planet. • Surf spot forecasts: wave height, period, direction, wind, and a clean at-a-glance read before you commit to the drive. • Buoy data from major coastal networks, surfaced inline on the same map you're already using. • Search any surf spot or NOAA buoy by name and jump straight to its forecast. • Favorite spots sync across devices, so your home break, your travel list, and your weekend backup are all one tap away. • Wave-energy color legend lets you compare a heavy four-foot day against a soft five-foot day at a glance. FREE OR PREMIUM Free includes the full globe, every overlay, and a 7-day forecast for every spot. Premium extends every forecast to a full 16 days — long enough to see swell windows before they're obvious to everyone else. WHO IT'S FOR Surfers planning the next session, the next trip, or the next swell. Sailors, kiters, foilers, divers, and anyone whose day depends on what the ocean is actually doing. WHY A GLOBE INSTEAD OF A FLAT MAP Swell doesn't care about map projections. A storm in the South Indian Ocean lights up reefs in California a week later — on a globe you can see why. Watch a long-period swell wrap around continents in the wave-energy view and a forecast starts to read like a story. ACCOUNT AND PRIVACY Sign in with Google to sync favorites and unlock the 16-day upgrade. Swellwire never posts on your behalf, never sells your data, and never emails you unless you ask. QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK Email support@swellwire.com — we read every message. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tempest Weather4 screens
Swellwire4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Swellwire at 5.0 against Tempest Weather's 3.9. Tempest Weather's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (504 vs 2). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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. Swellwire sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Tempest Weather asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Swellwire holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tempest Weather has 504 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Tempest Weather versus Swellwire: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempest WeatherSwellwire
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (504 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings504 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 8 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
Best chart rank#143 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWeatherFlowNevada Scientific Inc.

Customer experience

Tempest Weather

All ratings504 ratings
Positive72.0%
Neutral11.5%
Negative16.5%
Written reviews197 reviews
Positive60.4%
Neutral15.7%
Negative23.9%

Swellwire

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Tempest Weather

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App freezes on launch
  • Widgets stop working after updates
  • Complications not updating on Apple Watch
  • Location detection issues

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add dark mode
  • Improve graph visualization
  • Integrate with smart home platforms
  • Add more weather data points
  • Improve notification settings
Show 2 more
  • Add Apple TV app
  • Provide more localization options

Swellwire

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Tempest Weather

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Swellwire

Subscriptions2
  • Swellwire Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Swellwire Yearly$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Tempest Weather free?
Tempest Weather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Swellwire free?
Swellwire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tempest Weather or Swellwire?
Swellwire is rated higher. Tempest Weather averages 3.9 out of 5 from 504 ratings, while Swellwire averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Tempest Weather or Swellwire have ads?
Neither Tempest Weather nor Swellwire shows ads.

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