Comparison

WatchMETAR vs PilotAWOS

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

Head to head
About

WatchMETAR

Access real-time aviation weather data on your Apple Watch, iPhone, or iPad. View METAR and TAF reports, customize watch face complications, and use voice or scribble search for airports. Supports U.S. airports.

Highlights
  • Watch face complications
  • Voice and scribble airport search
  • Home and Lock Screen widgets
  • Raw and decoded METAR/TAF
  • U.S. airport support
Features
Read full description

**Aviation Weather for Apple Watch and iPhone/iPad** Access real-time aviation weather data directly from your wrist with this essential app. **Key Features:** - **Watch Face Complications:** Customize your watch face to display weather information for your preferred or nearest airport at a glance. Utilize our proprietary algorithms to prioritize the most relevant weather data and optimize screen space. - **Voice and Scribble Search:** Search for airports by name, city, or identifier. View current weather conditions (METAR) and forecasts (TAF). Enable location services (with permission) to access nearby airports. - **Widget Support:** Display weather information on your Home Screen and Lock Screen for easy access. - **Comprehensive Weather Data:** Display raw and fully decoded METAR and TAF data in a user-friendly format. Provide concise summary information in the airport list, while optimizing the screen space. Our algorithm prioritizes essential information, ensuring it is displayed even within a single line of text. - **U.S. Airport Support:** Currently, the app is available for U.S. airports. **Feedback and Suggestions:** Please report any issues or provide suggestions through the “App Support” link on the App Store page.

About

PilotAWOS

This app provides pilots with instant, real-time weather data from nearby automated observation stations. It focuses on critical information like wind direction, barometer readings, and VFR status for immediate flight planning. Available as both a phone and watch app, it offers customizable complications and widgets.

Highlights
  • Instant AWOS station readings
  • Nearby station locator
  • Watch face complications
  • Phone home screen widgets
  • Direct National Weather Service data
  • Location-based station selection
Read full description

As a pilot, the weather a few days from now doesn't matter as much as the weather Right Now. You need the current wind direction, at the nearest airfield, for the best runway. You need the current barometer reading for your altimeter. You need to know if the field is still VFR. And you need it fast. PilotAWOS puts the National Weather Service's automated observation stations on your wrist or your home screen. Instantly see the most recent reading from a nearby AWOS station. A Phone app if you use your phone on your panel, and a Watch app if you don't Has watch-face complications and phone widgets, settable to specific stations Works wherever you have data connectivity Data is fetched directly from the National Weather Service, without any intermediate backends or analytics collection. Your location is used only to locate nearby AWOS stations, and isn't tracked or recorded.

Screenshots

WatchMETAR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PilotAWOS at 100% against WatchMETAR's 47%. PilotAWOS also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.7). WatchMETAR's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). On price, ads, device support 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. PilotAWOS sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. WatchMETAR asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PilotAWOS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WatchMETAR has 106 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of WatchMETAR's written reviews are positive against 100% of PilotAWOS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WatchMETAR ships an update every 2 months, PilotAWOS every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
WatchMETAR versus PilotAWOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWatchMETARPilotAWOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (106 ratings)4.6 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings106 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEugene RakhmatulinRogers George

Customer experience

WatchMETAR

All ratings95 ratings
Positive61.1%
Neutral11.6%
Negative27.4%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive46.8%
Neutral19.4%
Negative33.9%

PilotAWOS

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

WatchMETAR

Reported bugs

21 issues
  • App freezes and will not update
  • Complications not auto-updating
  • Complications say 'No Station Set' or 'Bg.loc disabled'
  • App stopped working after OS updates (iOS 17, watchOS 10)
  • Nearest airport shows broken weather station
Show 16 more
  • Favorites list disappears
  • App requires manual refresh
  • App not working on Apple Watch after iPhone installation
  • Watch complication stuck on outdated ATIS
  • Location services grayed out in settings
  • Favorites list empty error
  • Weather won't auto-refresh on watch
  • Complication doesn't update until watch is restarted
  • App blank, no info reported for any airport
  • Watch complications always say no airport is set
  • App stops working, cannot find airports
  • App stopped importing METARs on iWatch Ultra
  • App quit working, host site no longer active
  • App quit working with iOS 17 and watchOS 10
  • Complication no longer auto-updates
  • App is just blank, no info reported for ANY airport

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add multiple airport complications
  • Include IATA code only for complications
  • Keep minutes since last update, remove seconds
  • Lower WatchOS number requirement for easier purchase/installation
  • Add international airports
Show 2 more
  • Option to display temperature in Fahrenheit
  • Add Zulu time

PilotAWOS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

WatchMETAR

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

PilotAWOS

One-time4
  • Start 30-day Free TrialFree
  • Start 90-day Free TrialFree
  • Tip$0.99
Show 1 more
  • Buy PilotAWOS$4.99

Questions

Is WatchMETAR free?
WatchMETAR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PilotAWOS free?
PilotAWOS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, WatchMETAR or PilotAWOS?
PilotAWOS is rated higher. WatchMETAR averages 3.7 out of 5 from 106 ratings, while PilotAWOS averages 4.6 from 8 ratings.
Do WatchMETAR or PilotAWOS have ads?
Neither WatchMETAR nor PilotAWOS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WatchMETAR or PilotAWOS?
WatchMETAR ships an update every 2 months, and PilotAWOS every 6 months. Most recently, WatchMETAR was updated on October 24, 2026 and PilotAWOS on October 9, 2026.

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