METAR Plot vs Visibility Tool
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
METAR Plot
Access up-to-date METAR station data for airports worldwide. View station models and raw METARs, manage custom and nearby station lists, and customize flight rules and units. This app works independently on your Apple Watch.
- Worldwide airport METAR data
- Station models and raw reports
- Nearby and user-defined station lists
- Offline station database access
- Automatic data updates
- Customizable flight rules and units
- Watch face complications
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METAR Plot for Apple Watch displays station models (plots) as well as raw METARs for most airports worldwide, using current METAR data. The app features two stations lists: nearby and user-defined. While the entire station database can be used offline (to add station or lookup nearby station), an internet connection is required to load METAR data. Data is updated automatically. Preferences can be set for type of flight rules and units (visibility, temperature, and pressure). Options for observation time in LT or UTC as well as sort order of user list. The app works completely independent from your iPhone and includes complications for watch faces with rectangular and circular types.
Visibility Tool
This app transforms your phone into a weather sensor to measure local visibility for safe and legal flights. Simply point your camera at the horizon and capture a photo to get an accurate visibility metric, usable even without cell service.
- Measures local visibility
- Converts phone into weather sensor
- Works offline, no cell service needed
- Provides visibility metric (1-10+ miles)
- Supports drone and general aviation compliance
- Useful for first responders and Medevac
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Accurately determine local visibility to ensure your flight is safe and legal by turning your mobile phone into a weather sensor. The simple point-and-click capability enables anyone globally to determine local visibility, even in flight. The technology works by pointing the mobile phone camera towards the horizon and then angling up until the view is unobstructed by buildings, trees or other foreground objects. Users take a photo in any direction they want and the technology responds with a visibility metric ranging from 1-10+ miles (1.6-16+ kilometers). Visibility Tool software is downloaded on your device. It is not cloud-based and does not require cell service. As such, drone operations can be flown weather compliantly within the national airspace from your backyard to the remotest of destinations. Similarly, pilots can use the tool at altitude where cell service is not available. More information is available at https://lowaltitudeweathernetwork.com/ Visibility tool applications include: - UAS and drone operations (Instantaneous FAA part 107.51 regulatory visibility compliance for every UAS operation) - General aviation (As part of your preflight, obtain instantaneous FAR 14 CFR section 91.155 regulatory visibility compliance for your VFR operation) - First responder and Medevac flights (This tool allows First Responders to instantly determine if Medevac can be safely initiated or alternatively, ground transport is necessary because of poor visibility) - Other use cases: Ground transportation, Maritime operations, Athletic and outdoor activities, Pulmonary and health monitoring Accurate visibility is important because low visibility is a leading cause of weather-related accidents/fatalities in General Aviation, Helicopter/Medevac, UAS and ground transportation.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Visibility Tool at 5.0 against METAR Plot's 3.4. Visibility Tool also leads on chart position (#45 vs #188) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). METAR Plot's advantage is price ($1.49 vs $9.99) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
METAR Plot costs $1.49 and Visibility Tool $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Visibility Tool holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: METAR Plot has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of METAR Plot's written reviews are positive against 50% of Visibility Tool's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
METAR Plot ships an update every 2 months, Visibility Tool every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | METAR Plot | Visibility Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.49 — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 3.4 (5 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #188 | #45 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 1006 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lakehorn AG | Flightprofiler, LLC |
Customer experience
METAR Plot
Visibility Tool
In-app purchases
METAR Plot
No in-app purchases
Visibility Tool
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is METAR Plot free?
Is Visibility Tool free?
Which has better reviews, METAR Plot or Visibility Tool?
Do METAR Plot or Visibility Tool have ads?
Which is updated more often, METAR Plot or Visibility Tool?
Which is more popular, METAR Plot or Visibility Tool?
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