# WeatherBug vs Shadow Weather

The clearest difference is update cadence: WeatherBug at fortnightly against Shadow Weather's every 8 months. WeatherBug also leads on ratings volume (2.2M vs 176) and chart position (#8 vs unranked). Shadow Weather's advantage is review sentiment (77% vs 61%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. WeatherBug sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Shadow Weather sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for WeatherBug against 4.8 for Shadow Weather. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WeatherBug has 2.2M ratings behind it against 176, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of WeatherBug's written reviews are positive against 77% of Shadow Weather's.

WeatherBug ships an update fortnightly, Shadow Weather every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WeatherBug | Shadow Weather |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (2.2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weatherbug-weather-forecast/id281940292/reviews) | **[4.8 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-weather/id1508435556/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2M** | 176 |
| Positive reviews | 60.7% of reviews | **76.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 241 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [WeatherBug](https://appshunter.io/developer/281940295) | [Shadow Weather LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508435345) |

## What reviewers say

### WeatherBug

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weatherbug-weather-forecast/id281940292)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Weather, #24 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Get real-time local weather, severe storm alerts, and detailed forecasts. Track lightning, pollen, UV exposure, and more with interactive maps and customizable widgets. Plan your day with confidence, knowing what to expect from the weather.

**Highlights:** Real-time pinpoint forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Interactive weather maps, Lightning and storm tracking, Pollen and UV index, 10-day and hourly forecasts, Weather widgets

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Ad Free Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Ad Free Subscription | $10.99 | per year |
| Ad Free Subscription Holiday Promo | $10.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate weather forecasts
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- ⚡️ Reliable lightning and storm tracking
- 📍 Customizable location settings
- 🌤️ Detailed weather information (humidity, UV, air quality)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent data updates
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🤔 Contradictory weather information between hourly and daily forecasts
- 🗺️ Inaccurate radar and location mapping in some areas
- 💤 Slow app loading times

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Widget functionality issues
- Incorrect location and weather data for some areas

**Requested features**

- Improved radar and storm tracking coverage
- Ability to disable unnecessary notifications
- More accurate and up-to-date weather data
- Metric unit support for international users


### Shadow Weather

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-weather/id1508435556)

Get accurate weather forecasts, severe weather alerts, and interactive radar with storm tracking. Stay informed about minute-by-minute rain, air quality, and upcoming event forecasts synced with your calendar.

**Highlights:** Daily, hourly, and minutely forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Interactive radar with storm tracking, Real-time lightning tracker, Minute-by-minute rain forecasting, Air quality information, Calendar sync for event forecasts

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shadow Weather Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Shadow Weather Premium | $7.99 | per year |
| Premium | $10.99 | per year |
| Shadow Weather Premium Yearly | $12.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app functionality
- ✨ Beautifully designed UI
- 🎯 Accurate weather data
- ⚡ Lightning tracker amazing
- 🔧 Customizable features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Premium subscription issues
- ❌ Support unresponsive
- 🐌 Radar map slow to load
- 🚫 Nagging review prompts
- 📉 Bad precipitation data

**Reported bugs**

- Premium subscription not recognized
- Radar map doesn't load or freezes
- Shows 0% chance of precipitation
- Doesn't show future wind chill

**Requested features**

- Widgets for iOS
- Quicker updates
- More text in forecast
- Apple Watch support
- Better notifications


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WeatherBug free?

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

### Is Shadow Weather free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WeatherBug or Shadow Weather?

Shadow Weather is rated higher. WeatherBug averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.2M ratings, while Shadow Weather averages 4.8 from 176 ratings.

### Do WeatherBug or Shadow Weather have ads?

Both WeatherBug and Shadow Weather show ads.

### Which is updated more often, WeatherBug or Shadow Weather?

WeatherBug ships an update fortnightly, and Shadow Weather every 8 months. Most recently, WeatherBug was updated on November 10, 2026 and Shadow Weather on November 7, 2026.

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