Comparison

Windfinder vs Aurora Forecast.

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Windfinder

Get detailed wind, wave, tide, and weather forecasts for over 160,000 locations worldwide. Access real-time measurements from thousands of weather stations and animated wind maps for a global overview. Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals needing precise weather data.

Highlights
  • Detailed wind and weather forecasts
  • Real-time wind and weather measurements
  • Tide forecasts
  • Animated wind map
  • Severe weather warnings
  • Webcams
Features
Read full description

Detailed wind and weather forecasts for your location. See wind, waves, tides and weather reports and current wind measurements for your own weather predictions. Easy to use and free of charge. FEATURES: + Detailed wind and weather forecasts for over 160,000 locations + Current wind and weather measurements in real-time from 21,000 weather stations + Tide forecasts for high and low tides for over 20,000 locations around the world + Favorites: save nearby locations and monitor the weather + Animated wind map for a global wind overview + Small Wind Widgets (current conditions) + New: Severe weather warnings for the US and Europe + Measurements listed in knots, Beaufort, mph, km/h and m/s + Parameters: Wind speed, wind direction, gusts, air temperature, felt temperature, clouds coverage, precipitation, air pressure, wave height, wave period and wave direction + Webcams + Optimized display for optimal readability on the go and on any mobile device + Optimized data transfer for a quicker load speed + Topographic maps provide a quick overview of weather conditions and assist with route planning + Easy to use interface - even with wet and cold hands PERFECT FOR: • Kitesurfing & Windsurfing – find that next storm or windy days next door or at your next vacation • Sailing – plan your next sailing trip and ensure safe passage by avoiding bad weather at sea • Wing Foiling - Catch the wind with your wing • Surfing – find the perfect wave and high swell • Dinghy sailing & regatta racers • SUP & Kayak – make sure high waves and wind don’t risk your adventures • Paragliding – find a good wind right from the start • Fishing – ensure a good catch with wind directions and tides • Cycling, hiking & trekking – check if it will be windy on your route and take the right gear • Boat owners & captains – keep an eye on the current wind conditions and tides • ... anyone interested in reliable wind and weather predictions WINDFINDER PLUS: Subscribe to Windfinder Plus to get access to all features. With Windfinder Plus you also get: + Wind alerts: Specify your preferred wind conditions and get notified when windy or calm days are forecasted + Superforecast: our hourly high-resolution forecasting model for North America, Europe, South Africa, Egypt and the Canary Islands + Wind & Weather Widgets in all sizes with wind preview + Ad free: no distractions + Wind preview: get a quick visual overview of the next ten days + New: Value grid for weather parameters directly on the map + Animated wind speed maps with wind gusts, temperature, precipitation and topographic images + Wind report map: Real-time wind measurements from over 21,000 stations directly on the wind map + all webcams in the area + many more Windfinder Plus is available as an In App Purchase. Subscriptions: Windfinder Plus: We offer auto-renewable "Windfinder Plus" subscriptions for one month or one year. The subscription unlocks the full feature set of Windfinder Plus. Remove Ads: We offer auto-renewable "Remove Ads" subscriptions for 3 months, 6 months or one year. The app will be free of ads while the "Remove Ads" subscription is active. Details: A free trial period of 7 days is offered. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. You will be charged for another period (1 month, 3 months, 6 months or one year) unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the subscription is renewed. You can turn off the auto-renewal in your account settings after purchase. Terms of Use: www.windfinder.com/contact/terms Privacy Policy: www.windfinder.com/contact/privacy_policy SOCIAL MEDIA: • Facebook: @Windfinder.com • Instagram: @windfindercom • Youtube: wind.to/Youtube • Support: support@windfinder.com • FAQ: windfinder.com/help

About

Aurora Forecast.

This app acts as an intelligent guide for aurora hunting, leveraging AI and local weather data to provide personalized "Go/No-Go" verdicts. It offers real-time updates, interactive maps, and customizable notifications to help you find the Northern Lights.

Highlights
  • AI Aurora Analyst with personalized Go/No-Go verdicts
  • Real-time Kp-index updates via widgets
  • Apple Watch complications for wrist tracking
  • Interactive aurora probability map
  • 3D globe with real-time aurora visualization
  • Customizable push notifications for storms
Features
Read full description

Aurora Forecast answers one question: can you see the aurora tonight, from where you are? It brings together NOAA space weather, the sky above you, and reports from people nearby who are watching it right now. — SEE IT AS IT HAPPENS — When people near you spot the aurora, their reports appear on the map and on the Home tab, showing how many have seen it within 100 km and how close the nearest one is. Seeing it yourself? Share it in one tap. No account needed, and every location is blurred to about 1 km before anyone else sees it. — KNOW BEFORE THE SKY GLOWS — • NOAA OVATION 30-minute aurora forecast on a map and a 3D globe • Aurora probability for your exact location • Kp index history, 3-day forecast and 27-day outlook • Live solar wind: speed, density and magnetic field (Bz) • Cloud cover, moon phase, sunrise and sunset • Live aurora webcams and real-time images of the Sun • Aurora hotspots: well-known viewing spots, including dark-sky parks • Aurora Guide, plus Stories & News from the world of the aurora — AURORA INTELLIGENCE (ULTIMATE) — One clear answer to "Should I go out now?", weighing the forecast, the clouds above you, the moonlight and reports from people nearby. On iPhones with Apple Intelligence it runs on your device; otherwise it uses our cloud AI. — ALERTS, WIDGETS AND APPLE WATCH — • Aurora alerts for your location (Pro) • Apple Watch complications (Pro) • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets (Ultimate) • Detailed cloud cover by altitude (Ultimate) — ON EVERY SCREEN — iPhone, iPad, and iPhone Duo open or folded, in 32 languages. — SUBSCRIPTIONS — The forecast, maps, live data, webcams and community reports are free. • Aurora Pro, monthly or yearly: aurora alerts and Apple Watch complications • Aurora Ultimate Pro, monthly or yearly: everything in Pro, plus Aurora Intelligence, widgets and detailed cloud cover Prices are shown in the app in your local currency. Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscriptions in Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://www.tinacinc.com/AuroraForecast/privacy_policy.html Terms of Use: https://www.tinacinc.com/AuroraForecast/terms_of_conditions.html

Screenshots

Windfinder4 screens
Aurora Forecast.4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Windfinder at 82% against Aurora Forecast.'s 32%. Windfinder also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Aurora Forecast.'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, chart position and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Windfinder sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Aurora Forecast. sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Windfinder holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Windfinder has 63K ratings behind it against 4.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Windfinder's written reviews are positive against 32% of Aurora Forecast.'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Windfinder ships an update every 4 weeks, Aurora Forecast. weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Windfinder versus Aurora Forecast.: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWindfinderAurora Forecast.
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (63K ratings) — better4.6 (4.9K ratings)
Positive reviews81.5% of reviews — better32.0% of reviews
Number of ratings63K — better4.9K
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#50 — better#111
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size88 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWindfinderTINAC Inc.

Customer experience

Windfinder

All ratings63,229 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral2.2%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews487 reviews
Positive81.5%
Neutral4.1%
Negative14.4%

Aurora Forecast.

All ratings4,875 ratings
Positive89.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews331 reviews
Positive32.0%
Neutral13.0%
Negative55.0%

User reviews

Windfinder

From 63K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Accurate wind and weather forecasts
  • 🚀 Detailed and easy-to-use interface
  • 💡 Helpful for planning outdoor activities and sports
  • 👍 Reliable and consistent performance
  • 💡 Includes tide information

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional inaccuracies in wind/weather predictions
  • 🔍 Limited information for some locations
  • 💰 Ads can be intrusive in free version
  • 🔍 Lack of advanced features like dark mode

Aurora Forecast.

From 4.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Excellent app with nice graphs
  • 🌟 Accurate with current solar activity and short-term forecast
  • 🌟 Fantastic amount of information about the sun and aurora
  • 🌟 Alerts help plan for aurora viewing
  • 🌟 Comprehensive data and visuals

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes or freezes
  • ⚠️ Inaccurate forecasts and predictions
  • ⚠️ Notifications not working as expected
  • ⚠️ Difficult to interpret data and graphs
  • ⚠️ Biased towards Northern Hemisphere

Bugs and requests

Windfinder

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes or freezes on some devices
  • Widget not functioning properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Hourly wind/weather updates
  • Ability to add custom locations
  • More detailed weather information (rain, humidity, etc.)
  • Integration with other weather/outdoor apps

Aurora Forecast.

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Forecast data not updating
  • App crashing on startup
  • Incorrect location data
  • Alerts not working as intended

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for Southern Hemisphere aurora
  • Improve location-based forecasting and alerts
  • Provide more user-friendly explanations of data and graphs
  • Allow customization of notification settings
  • Expand coverage to include more regions

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Windfinder

Subscriptions6
  • Windfinder Plus monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • 3 month ad-free2 variants$2.493 Months
  • 6 month ad-free2 variants$3.996 Months
Show 3 more
  • 1 Year ad free2 variants$4.991 Year
  • Windfinder Plus Yearly7 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • Windfinder Plus Yearly1 Year trial$12.991 Year
4 purchases

Aurora Forecast.

Subscriptions4
  • Alerts (Monthly)3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Aurora Ultimate Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Aurora Alerts(Yearly)7 Days trial$12.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Aurora Ultimate Pro (Yearly)3 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Windfinder free?
Windfinder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aurora Forecast. free?
Aurora Forecast. is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Windfinder or Aurora Forecast.?
Windfinder is rated higher. Windfinder averages 4.8 out of 5 from 63K ratings, while Aurora Forecast. averages 4.6 from 4.9K ratings.
Do Windfinder or Aurora Forecast. have ads?
Windfinder shows ads; Aurora Forecast. does not.
Which is updated more often, Windfinder or Aurora Forecast.?
Windfinder ships an update every 4 weeks, and Aurora Forecast. weekly. Most recently, Windfinder was updated on November 10, 2026 and Aurora Forecast. on November 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, Windfinder or Aurora Forecast.?
Windfinder currently peaks at #50 in the App Store charts, and Aurora Forecast. at #111. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

Other comparisons