WeatherBug vs global storms
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WeatherBug
Get accurate, real-time weather forecasts and severe storm alerts powered by a global professional weather network. Visualize conditions with interactive maps, track lightning, and stay informed about pollen, air quality, and more.
- Real-Time Pinpoint Forecasts
- Enhanced Interactive Map
- Severe Weather Alerts
- Lightning Proximity Alerts
- Pollen Count
- Air Quality Information
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Download the most popular free weather app powered by the largest professional weather network in the world! Enjoy Free access to 10-Day Forecast and over 140 hours of Hourly Forecast, and explore our Ad-Free Subscription options. WeatherBug is easy to use and provides forecasts for your every need, from storm warnings to pollen levels. Our weather network delivers the fastest alerts and the best real-time forecasts (current, hourly, and 10-day). WeatherBug has over 20 weather maps, including Radar, Future Radar, Lightning, Pollen, Severe Storm Risk, Precipitation, and more! Join the millions who rely on WeatherBug for weather forecasts every day! "I love WeatherBug! It's always accurate & is the first place I go for up-to-the-minute weather!" –iOS User. WEATHERBUG FEATURES: YOUR WEATHER FORECAST • Real-Time Pinpoint Forecasts: Get the most accurate current, hourly, and 10-day weather forecasts • Enhanced Interactive Map: Visualize weather conditions with 19 weather maps • Lifestyle Forecasts: Know how the weather will impact your trips, workouts, allergies, chronic pain and much more • Weather Widget: Customize your alerts and display them with weather widgets • Weather Alerts: get alerted to weather conditions and storms • Weather Videos: Watch short weather videos with severe weather updates, live forecasts, storm alerts, and safety tips to better understand what’s happening and what to expect next TRACK ANY CONDITION • Weather Radar: available across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe • PulseRad® Radar: radar for many international locations using patented Earth Networks Total Lightning Network® technology • Spark Lightning Alerts: get minute-by-minute, mile-by-mile lightning proximity alerts • Hurricane Center: hurricane forecasts and changing conditions stay informed • Fire Center: global fire data to know when you are at risk • Winter Weather: Plan with our 10-day snow depth forecast and stay safe in severe winter conditions with our real-time snowstorm alerts MORE THAN JUST RAIN • Pollen Count: Keep your allergies in check by knowing what the local pollen conditions are like • Live Traffic Cameras: View local traffic conditions to better plan your day • Real-Time Traffic Conditions: View local traffic conditions to better plan your day • Air Quality: Get an in-depth look at the air quality around you • Precise Weather Details: Wind speed, UV index, weather observations and more LARGEST WEATHER NETWORK • Forecasts for 2.6 million+ locations worldwide • Largest total lightning detection network FASTEST WEATHER ALERTS • Get notified of severe weather 50% faster with our Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts • Receive all NWS and NOAA watches and warnings APPLE WATCH SUPPORT • Get vital weather information directly on your Apple Watch, including alerts, glances, and complications CONNECT WITH US • Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WeatherBug • Follow us on Twitter - @WeatherBug • Check us out on Instagram - @weatherbug • Check out WeatherBug's YouTube weather channel broadcast here: https://www.youtube.com/user/WeatherBugVideo Download the weather forecast app used and loved by millions, awarded the "Best Weather App" in 2019 and 2016 by Mediapost Appy Awards. Also, voted the "Best Weather App for iPads" by AppPicker and "Best App for Moms" by Parent Magazine: WeatherBug! This app may include "Interest-Based Ads" (see https://www.weatherbug.com/legal/privacy#AC) for more information) and may collect or share "Precise Location Data" (see https://www.weatherbug.com/legal/privacy#PLD for more details).
global storms
Access real-time severe weather alerts, including hurricanes, typhoons, and tornadoes. View worldwide animated satellite imagery, marine data, and US radar. Track global climate and space weather phenomena.
- Hurricane, typhoon, and tropical storm tracking
- Worldwide animated satellite views
- Marine weather information
- US tornado and thunderstorm alerts
- Animated US radar and forecast charts
- Global climate and space weather data
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global storms provides the latest severe weather information including: - hurricanes, typhoons and tropical storms in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans - worldwide animated satellite views - the latest worldwide marine information - US ultraviolet index - US mainland storms, including the latest tornado and severe thunderstorm alerts - animated radar for the US - animated US forecast chart - global climate imagery - space weather Information in the app is courtesy of various open government sources as indicated in each section. There is an auto-renewing subscription option within the app to track worldwide tropical cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes and other global weather hazards, and comprehensive ocean conditions forecasts for the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Development of global storms is funded in part by ads, which can be removed by selecting the monthly auto-renewing subscription option "Remove Ads" from the app's settings menu. Removing ads also provides access to other premium content and features. The subscription price of 0.99 USD (in your local currency) will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and, for each renewal, within 24 hours prior to the end of the current month. You can cancel the subscription at any time through your iTunes account settings, but you must do so at least 24 hours before the end of the current month to avoid being charged, and ads will show again at the start of the subsequent month. Terms of use: https://www.kellytechnology.com/privacy/tac.html Privacy policy: https://www.kellytechnology.com/privacy/privacy_policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: WeatherBug at 61% against global storms's 27%. WeatherBug also leads on ratings volume (2.2M vs 13K) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. WeatherBug sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and global storms sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
WeatherBug holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WeatherBug has 2.2M ratings behind it against 13K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of WeatherBug's written reviews are positive against 27% of global storms's.
WeatherBug ships an update every 2 weeks, global storms every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.
| Parameter | WeatherBug | global storms |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.2M ratings) — better | 4.5 (13K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews — better | 27.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2.2M — better | 13K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #7 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 237 MB | 81 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | WeatherBug | Kelly Technology Inc. |
Customer experience
WeatherBug
global storms
User reviews
WeatherBug
From 2.2M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate weather forecasts
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- ⚡️ Reliable lightning and storm tracking
- 📍 Customizable location settings
- 🌤️ Detailed weather information (humidity, UV, air quality)
Room to improve
- 🐛 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
global storms
From 13K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌐 Accurate weather information
- 📊 Useful satellite imagery and data
- 🔍 Comprehensive hurricane tracking
Room to improve
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate past ads
- ⏱️ Lengthy ads that cannot be skipped
- 🚫 Ads blocking access to content
- 🔋 High battery consumption due to ads
Bugs and requests
WeatherBug
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes on startup
- Widget functionality issues
- Incorrect location and weather data for some areas
Requested features
4 requests- 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
global storms
Reported bugs
2 issues- Ads not closing or loading properly
- Satellite imagery not loading consistently
Requested features
3 requests- Option to disable ads for a fee
- Improved ad placement and user experience
- Ability to save favorite locations
In-app purchases
WeatherBug
- Monthly Ad Free Subscription$1.991 Month
- Annual Ad Free Subscription7 Days trial$10.991 Year
- Ad Free Subscription Holiday Promo$10.991 Year
global storms
- Remove Ads$0.991 Month
- Global Tropical Hazards$9.99
- Ocean Conditions Forecast$9.99







