# Metar vs SkyTrace

The clearest difference is price: SkyTrace at Free against Metar's $5.99. Metar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#44 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

SkyTrace is free to download; Metar costs $5.99 up front. SkyTrace sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Metar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Metar ships an update monthly, SkyTrace every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Metar | SkyTrace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (586 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metar-taf/id1608949422/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **586** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#44** | — |
| Size | 41 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eveline van den Boom](https://appshunter.io/developer/1603980774) | [MUSTAFA 0GUZHAN AYDIN](https://appshunter.io/developer/6771523652) |

## What reviewers say

### Metar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metar-taf/id1608949422)

**Currently charting:** #44 Top Paid · Weather (US App Store)

This app visualizes aviation weather reports (METAR and TAF) for airports worldwide. It offers easy-to-understand metrics, weather symbols, crosswind calculations, and flight rule categories. Users can listen to decoded reports, track favorite stations, and view historical weather trends.

**Highlights:** Visualized METAR and TAF data, Weather symbols and flight rule categories, Crosswind calculations, Text-to-speech readout, Favorite station tracking, Interactive airport map, Weather trend graphs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to read and understand interface
- 📊 Clear visual representation of METAR/TAF data
- 🎯 Quick access to airport weather information
- ⚡ Fast and responsive app performance
- 💰 Reasonable pricing for the features offered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Autocorrect issues with ICAO airport codes
- 🚫 Missing widget functionality (home screen)
- 📍 Incorrect airport data for some locations
- 🔐 Excessive verification prompts and login requirements
- 📊 Visual cloud base calculation error on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Autocorrect adds unwanted spaces to airport codes
- Visual cloud base off by 2000 feet on iPad
- Screen goes black when searching for airports
- App badge cannot be cleared
- Browse Older Metars redirects to blank website

**Requested features**

- Home screen widget support
- Crosswind with gust information
- Runway alignment feature in app (not just web)
- Dewpoint and temperature meteogram graph
- Runway degree headings display


### SkyTrace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skytrace-stargazing-map/id6771523650)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkyTrace Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Metar free?

Metar costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SkyTrace free?

SkyTrace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Metar or SkyTrace have ads?

Neither Metar nor SkyTrace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Metar or SkyTrace?

Metar ships an update monthly, and SkyTrace every 2 months. Most recently, Metar was updated on November 7, 2026 and SkyTrace on November 9, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*