# TornadoSpy vs Element

The clearest difference is price: Element at Free against TornadoSpy's $1.99. Element also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 12). TornadoSpy's advantage is review sentiment (69% vs 24%) and ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases, monetization model, chart position and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Element is free to download; TornadoSpy costs $1.99 up front. TornadoSpy sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Element sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $4.95 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Element holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Element has 1.4K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of TornadoSpy's written reviews are positive against 24% of Element's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TornadoSpy ships an update every 2 months, Element every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | TornadoSpy | Element |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.8 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tornadospy/id329684423/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-weather-radar/id6737528351/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **1.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **69.4% of reviews** | 24.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#87** | #106 |
| Size | 23 MB | 482 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Justin Time](https://appshunter.io/developer/308502519) | [ETCETERA WEATHER, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776951274) |

## What reviewers say

### TornadoSpy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tornadospy/id329684423)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Paid · Weather (US App Store)

Instantly report and view tornado sightings worldwide with real-time radar snapshots. This app provides valuable lead time for users to escape storms, featuring user-submitted and official reports filtered for accuracy.

**Highlights:** Track tornado movement worldwide, Report nearby tornadoes, Radar snapshot of sightings, Official National Weather Service reports, Share and view tornado photos, Filter sightings by spotter ratings

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fast Animated Radar (US) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extreme Weather Radio | $0.99 | one-time |


### Element

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-weather-radar/id6737528351)

**Currently charting:** #106 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Experience weather like never before with a visually powerful and simple forecast. This app provides hyper-local, high-definition radar, detailed 24-hour and 7-day predictions, and customizable alerts for everything from light rain to severe storms and wildfires. Stay confidently ahead of any weather headed your way.

**Highlights:** High-definition radar with 24-hour storm predictions, Hyper-local 24-hour and 7-day forecasts, AI-powered hurricane path tracking, Customizable weather alerts, Selectable forecast elements (temperature, air quality, etc.), Lock and Home Screen widgets, Live wildfire tracking and smoke visualization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $4.95 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $5.00 | per month |
| Element Family Premium | $6.99 | per month |
| Element Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Element Premium Yearly | $35.00 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $44.95 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $44.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $45.00 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Element Family Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Element Lifetime Subscription | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate weather forecasts
- 👍 Clean and intuitive design
- 💡 Innovative radar visualization
- 🔒 Customizable location tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔍 Limited data coverage
- 🤔 Inconsistent performance

**Reported bugs**

- Failing to connect to servers
- Incorrect location data
- Delayed delivery of weather updates

**Requested features**

- Expand coverage to more countries
- Add customizable weather alerts
- Improve route-based forecasting
- Introduce a more affordable pricing model


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TornadoSpy free?

TornadoSpy costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Element free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TornadoSpy or Element?

Element is rated higher. TornadoSpy averages 3.8 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Element averages 4.5 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do TornadoSpy or Element have ads?

Element shows ads; TornadoSpy does not.

### Which is updated more often, TornadoSpy or Element?

TornadoSpy ships an update every 2 months, and Element every 2 weeks. Most recently, TornadoSpy was updated on October 24, 2026 and Element on October 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, TornadoSpy or Element?

TornadoSpy currently peaks at #87 in the App Store charts, and Element at #106. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*