Kestrel LiNK vs Pocket RAWS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kestrel LiNK
This application allows users to monitor, download, and share environmental data collected by Kestrel Instruments meters and data loggers. It provides a seamless way to send your weather information to the cloud for further analysis and accessibility.
- Monitor environmental data
- Download data
- Share data
- Send data to the cloud
- Connect with Kestrel Instruments devices
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Monitor, download, share or send your weather data to the cloud from your Kestrel Instruments environment meter or data logger.
Pocket RAWS
Access near real-time weather data from Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) across California. Monitor fire danger ratings, fuel conditions, and set custom weather alerts for your favorite stations. Essential for firefighters and those in fire-prone areas.
- View California RAWS weather stations
- Favorite up to five stations
- Fire danger ratings and fuel discussions
- Custom weather thresholds (Pro subscription)
- Access CAL FIRE Aviation Guide
- No sign-in required
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Stay informed with near real-time weather data from Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) across California. More states coming soon! Whether you're a wildland firefighter, a fire professional, or someone living in the wildland-urban interface, Pocket RAWS keeps crucial fire weather data at your fingertips. Features: • View RAWS weather stations in California (expanding to more states in future updates). • Favorite up to five stations for quick access. • Fire danger ratings for PSAs, including fuel discussions and indices. • Set custom weather thresholds for favorited stations with a Pro RAWS subscription: Relative Humidity (RH) Wind Speed Fuel Moisture Soil Moisture and Temp more.... • Access the CAL FIRE Aviation Guide. • No sign-in required – start using the app immediately. • Built by a firefighter for firefighters and anyone monitoring fire weather. Pro RAWS Subscription Unlock premium features with a Pro RAWS subscription: Annual subscription: $9.99 per year Free 1-month trial for new subscribers Subscription includes: Customizable notifications for all favorited stations Subscription Details: Payment will be charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged $9.99 for renewal within 24 hours before the renewal date. Manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://www.pocketraws.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Pocket RAWS at 5.0 against Kestrel LiNK's 2.9. Pocket RAWS also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Kestrel LiNK's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (31 vs 3). On price and ads 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. Pocket RAWS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Kestrel LiNK asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pocket RAWS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kestrel LiNK has 31 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Kestrel LiNK ships an update every 2 months, Pocket RAWS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kestrel LiNK | Pocket RAWS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (31 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 27.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 31 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #196 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 27.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 164 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nielsen-Kellerman Co. | Josh Bradley |
Customer experience
Kestrel LiNK
Pocket RAWS
In-app purchases
Kestrel LiNK
No in-app purchases
Pocket RAWS
- Pro RAWS1 Month trial$9.991 Year
