wXL23 vs Pocket Models
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
wXL23
An advanced, open-source weather application focused on US weather data, optimized for storm chasers and meteorologists. It provides detailed NWS data, including radar, model outputs, and specialized products, with a focus on information depth over flashy graphics.
- NWS data for US locations
- Level 3 Nexrad radar viewer
- Optimized text product viewer
- Mosaic viewer with animations
- SPC, WPC, NHC product access
- Weather models
- Customizable home screen
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For USA Weather only: wXL23 is a free, no-ads, and open-source ( GNU GPLv3 / APL2.0 ) advanced weather application that is geared towards storm chasers, meteorologists, and weather enthusiasts. NWS ( National Weather Service ) data is optimized for mobile format and provided for divisions not normally covered together in the mobile space: SPC, WPC, NHC, OPC, etc. Level 3 Nexrad radar (single, dual, quad pane). This weather app is not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service. If you *only* need current conditions and your local 7 day forecast then this app is probably more then you need although it will easily provide those 2 things as well. If you are looking for wasted screen real estate or fancy graphics this app is not for you. Given the depth of information covered there is a steep learning curve if you seek to use the program in it's entirety, help information is available and touched on below. Common weather acronyms are used throughout so you should be familiar with those as well. Currently United States locations are supported. - Current forecast, 7 day conditions, sounding data for an unlimited number of locations from NWS. - Customizable home screen - Metal based Nexrad radar interface with numerous options. 2 pane and 4 pane version also available in MISC tab. - Optimized text product viewer for easy access to AFD, HWO and others from any NWS WFO. - Vis/IR/WV/Radar mosaic viewer ( with animations ). - SPC products (such as Watches/MCDs/Convective Outlooks/Mesoanalysis) - WPC products - Weather models - NHC products NOTE: iPhone 5s or newer required for Nexrad radar viewer.
Pocket Models
Access and view detailed weather models like GFS, ECMWF, and NAM directly on your mobile device. This application simplifies weather forecasting by providing an easy-to-use interface, eliminating the need to navigate complex websites.
- View GFS weather models
- Access ECMWF models
- Utilize NAM weather data
- Simplified mobile interface
- Weather model visualization
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This app makes it easy to see weather models on the go. View the GFS, ECMWF, and NAM with more models to come. Forget the hassle of going to the web browser and searching for models with tiny buttons that makes it hard to find what you want.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: wXL23 at 96% against Pocket Models's 50%. wXL23 also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (212 vs 3). Pocket Models's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
wXL23 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: wXL23 has 212 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of wXL23's written reviews are positive against 50% of Pocket Models's.
wXL23 ships an update every 2 months, Pocket Models daily. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.
| Parameter | wXL23 | Pocket Models |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (212 ratings) — better | 3.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 96.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 212 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Josh Green | Atlas Horne |
Customer experience
wXL23
Pocket Models
Bugs and requests
wXL23
Reported bugs
8 issues- App crashes on iOS 26 and iOS 18.1.1 after updates
- Radar animations crash app when playing frames
- Play button malfunction on radar displays
- App crashes on open after certain updates
- Radar product glitching on iOS 14 and iPhone 12 Pro Max
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- Current conditions loading issue at single stations
- Radar display crashes when added to home screen
- Models slow to load or fail to load data
Requested features
11 requests- Dark mode icon support for iOS
- Bottom navigation bar with category icons
- Widget support for home screen
- Push notifications for SPC outlooks and mesoscale discussions
- Personal Weather Station (PWS) integration
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- Map scrolling improvements
- Annotation feature for radar
- Custom color code input for radar color tables
- Additional mesoanalysis subregions (sectors 21 and 22)
- Enhanced hourly forecast display with more data points
- Windows 11 application version
Pocket Models
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
wXL23
No in-app purchases
Pocket Models
No in-app purchases
