# First Alert Weather vs Storm Shield

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Alert Weather at none against Storm Shield's 7. First Alert Weather also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 38%). Storm Shield's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (114K vs 20K). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Storm Shield sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. First Alert Weather asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for First Alert Weather against 4.8 for Storm Shield. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Storm Shield has 114K ratings behind it against 20K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of First Alert Weather's written reviews are positive against 38% of Storm Shield's.

First Alert Weather ships an update every 2 months, Storm Shield weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Alert Weather | Storm Shield |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-alert-weather/id418407216/reviews) | **[4.8 (114K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storm-shield/id526831380/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20K | **114K** |
| Positive reviews | **57.4% of reviews** | 37.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #157 | **#18** |
| Size | 257 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gray Television Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/416888140) | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) |

## What reviewers say

### First Alert Weather

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-alert-weather/id418407216)

**Currently charting:** #157 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get hyper-local weather updates with high-resolution radar and future tracking. Receive current conditions, hourly and daily forecasts, and severe weather alerts directly from the National Weather Service. Save your favorite locations and stay informed with push notifications.

**Highlights:** High-resolution 250m radar, Future radar tracking, Hourly and daily forecasts, Current weather updates, Severe weather alerts, Favorite location saving, GPS location awareness

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate weather forecasts
- 🚀 Reliable and fast app
- 💡 Helpful weather videos and news
- 🔍 Detailed radar and weather data
- ⭐ Great app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Radar overlay issues making it hard to see weather
- 🔍 Inaccurate or lacking weather details (e.g. snow amount)
- 📢 Too many ads and notifications
- ⏱️ Slow app performance and loading times
- 🔍 Radar and weather predictions not matching

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or freezing
- Location not being saved properly
- Radar and weather data not updating correctly

**Requested features**

- Add weather widget for iOS
- Disable ads during severe weather events
- Improve radar overlay and transparency
- Provide more detailed weather forecasts


### Storm Shield

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storm-shield/id526831380)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Weather, #177 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Receive precise, location-based severe weather alerts for tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and more. Get voice and push notifications, view radar maps, and access forecasts. Optional premium features offer advanced radar imagery and lightning alerts.

**Highlights:** Location-based severe weather alerts, Voice and push notifications, Hi-Def radar map, Today screen widget, Apple Watch alerts, Current conditions and forecasts, Save additional locations

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly with Free Trial | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weather | $10.99 | per month |
| Lightning Strikes | $10.99 | per month |
| 30-Day Limited Offer Upgrade | $11.49 | per month |
| Yearly with Free Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fastest weather alerts
- 📡 Accurate radar and forecasts
- 🔔 Customizable alerts and notifications
- 💻 Simple and easy to use interface
- 🗺️ Tracking multiple locations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model for advanced features
- 🔇 Loud and disruptive alerts
- 🕰️ Delayed alerts compared to other apps
- 🔍 Difficulty customizing alert locations
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent alert delivery
- Radar map not always showing correct location
- Subscription features not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to read alert details in notifications
- Option to silence alerts during certain times
- More customization for alert types and locations
- Horizontal radar view with manual scrolling
- Integration with smart home devices for alerts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Alert Weather free?

First Alert Weather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Storm Shield free?

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

### Which has better reviews, First Alert Weather or Storm Shield?

Storm Shield is rated higher. First Alert Weather averages 4.7 out of 5 from 20K ratings, while Storm Shield averages 4.8 from 114K ratings.

### Do First Alert Weather or Storm Shield have ads?

Both First Alert Weather and Storm Shield show ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Alert Weather or Storm Shield?

First Alert Weather ships an update every 2 months, and Storm Shield weekly. Most recently, First Alert Weather was updated on October 22, 2026 and Storm Shield on October 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, First Alert Weather or Storm Shield?

First Alert Weather currently peaks at #157 in the App Store charts, and Storm Shield at #18. 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.*