Comparison

Radar Pro vs VortexWeather

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

Head to head
About

Radar Pro

View up-to-date weather radar data directly from the National Weather Service. This app provides the most accurate view of precipitation available, with animation features to track storm motion and your location relative to severe weather.

Highlights
  • NEXRAD Level 3 display
  • Storm animation
  • Configurable data updates
  • Favorite radar list
  • Radar site status
  • US/Puerto Rico coverage
  • Map navigation (zoom, pan)
Features
Read full description

Radar Pro is an interactive Weather Radar application for anyone with a need for graphical weather updates on the go. It allows you to view the most up-to-date weather radar data - direct from the United States National Weather Service NEXRAD Level 3 Radar Network. Coverage includes the entire 50 states and Puerto Rico. What sets Radar Pro apart from other weather radar apps is that Radar Pro receives radar data directly from the National Weather Service operational servers. The images are in their true, original format and not a smoothed graphic - smoothing any data reduces its accuracy. This means the radar data is the most accurate view of precipitation freely available to the public. Set the Radar In Motion -- easily begin an animation loop to view storm motion over the past several minutes. Know exactly where a storm is and where it's going and how it could impact you -- set the radar image in motion and easily begin an animation loop to view storm motion over the past several minutes; and with one touch, your current location is marked on the map so you'll always know where you are in relation to precipitation or severe weather warnings. Radar Features: ● Level 3 NEXRAD display to 248 nautical miles ● Animation ● User Configurable Data Updates Rates ● Favorite Radar List ● Radar Site Status Information ● Complete US coverage including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico ● 154 Radar Sites Map Features: ● Auto radar selection ● Pinch to Zoom In and Out ● Swipe to Pan ● Complete US/Canada/Mexico outline ● Cities and Towns ● State Boundaries ● County Boundaries ● Major Highways ● Radar Selection via Map

About

VortexWeather

Features
Read full description

VortexWeather turns raw NOAA data into fast, interactive weather maps — hurricanes, radar, satellite, lightning, and full numerical models, all in one app. Free to download and use. Features marked (Basic) or (Pro) require a paid auto-renewable subscription — see Subscriptions below. TROPICAL & HURRICANES • Live storm tracks and forecast cones from the National Hurricane Center • Wind radii and tropical watches/warnings • Spaghetti plots from 35+ forecast models (Basic) • Historical storm tracks (Basic) • GPU-accelerated 3D hurricane viewer with wind particle animations and isosurfaces (Pro) RADAR & SATELLITE • National and single-site NEXRAD radar (reflectivity & velocity) • 3D NEXRAD volume scan viewer with cross sections and cell isolation (Pro) • GOES satellite imagery • Satellite animation (Basic) • Real-time lightning FORECAST MODELS • GFS and ECMWF surface temperature, dewpoint, pressure, humidity, and wind — free with a VortexWeather account • Animated surface wind particle flow — free with a VortexWeather account • Upper-air heights and winds, CAPE, precipitation, cloud cover, and more (Basic) • High-resolution HRRR model and animated wind barbs (Basic) SEVERE, AVIATION & MORE • SPC outlooks, WPC forecasts, and live NWS alerts (Basic) • Aviation hazards: SIGMET/AIRMET/PIREP and METARs (Basic) • USGS earthquakes SUBSCRIPTIONS VortexWeather is free to download, with ads. A paid subscription removes ads and unlocks the features marked above: • VortexWeather Basic — $4.99 per month or $50.90 per year • VortexWeather Pro — $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year; includes everything in Basic plus the features marked (Pro) Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://vortexweather.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://vortexweather.com/privacy VortexWeather is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Always rely on official sources such as the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center for life-safety decisions.

Screenshots

Radar Pro4 screens
VortexWeather4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Radar Pro at none against VortexWeather's 4. Radar Pro also leads on ads (none vs shown). VortexWeather's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price 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. VortexWeather sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Radar Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Radar Pro versus VortexWeather: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRadar ProVortexWeather
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (167 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings167 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBryan NeelVORTEXWEATHER LLC

Bugs and requests

Radar Pro

Reported bugs

140 issues
  • Broken, choppy loop
  • Dallas has disappeared (data shows incorrect times)
  • App won't open
  • Radar in motion quit working properly
  • Screen locks up or blinks
Show 135 more
  • App crashes
  • Radar menu of states does not always scroll completely down
  • Faint green haze surrounding radar location
  • Tile windows don't open fully
  • Starts so expanded you can't see anything
  • Won't accept current location
  • Only allows two inaccurate locations
  • Radar seems to lag behind
  • Doesn't update for at least 10 minutes
  • Looping works very poorly
  • County borders are inaccurate
  • Radar Pro doesn't work half the time
  • Doesn't work in Kansas
  • Looping of random images from the past
  • App has not been kept updated
  • Support site no longer exists
  • Images are grossly pixilated
  • Poor resolution
  • Constant issues with the app
  • No ability to position for location info
  • Sloppy scrolling
  • Can't tell much with this app
  • Barely make out what's going on
  • Lacking $5 worth of stuff
  • Warning not accurate or timely
  • Very unimpressed with this app
  • Marginal at best
  • Support is non-existent
  • Many other Weather Radar apps are far superior
  • Charged more than quoted fee
  • Extremely disappointing
  • Annoying to find data
  • Difficult to make serious use of data
  • Radar Pro is only marginally iPad compliant
  • Very frustrating to navigate
  • Insulting to the user
  • Not kept updated
  • This app has not been kept updated
  • Marginal at best
  • Support is non-existent
  • Many other Weather Radar apps are far superior
  • Tile windows don't open fully
  • Starts so expanded you can't see anything
  • Blurry
  • Charged more than quoted fee
  • Won't accept current location
  • Only allows two inaccurate locations
  • Extremely disappointing
  • Annoying to find data
  • Difficult to make serious use of data
  • Radar Pro is only marginally iPad compliant
  • Very frustrating to navigate
  • Insulting to the user
  • AppRadio support needed
  • Pioneer AppRadio support needed
  • Quadruple sales potential missed
  • Would use for work
  • Perfect to view while driving to storms
  • Not worth the money
  • Only view 1 radar site at a time
  • Not what was expected
  • Doubt review will be posted
  • Very disappointed
  • Not worth 1 star
  • Crashes or program failures
  • No speed issues
  • Easy to zoom and pan
  • Great for portable use
  • Use when spotting
  • Radar menu of states does not always scroll
  • Leaving Wyoming unable to open
  • Navigation from state to state could be easier
  • Size of listings is quite small
  • Prefer landscape presentation
  • Primitive and useless maps
  • County borders inaccurate
  • Poor reference of precipitation locations
  • Loops work very poorly
  • Faint green haze surrounding location
  • Irritating haze
  • Not all alerts are listed
  • Chaos if all alerts listed
  • Lacking features
  • Not worth it
  • Static pixelated image
  • No animated loop
  • Background maps outline only
  • Warnings lumped with radar selection
  • Does not detect chosen radar location
  • Have to scroll through unrelated warnings
  • Does not feel polished or complete
  • Not very useful
  • Prefer free MyRadar app
  • Title bar transparency not set
  • Need a few more enhancements
  • Temperature information would be helpful
  • Needs more extras to be worth the $
  • Images are extremely pixelated and coarse
  • Not updated every five minutes
  • Hesitate to give more than three stars
  • Others do more for less
  • Decent start, needs updates
  • Radar seems to lag behind
  • Doesn't update for at least 10 minutes
  • Need ability to see multiple radar sites
  • Looping would be an added bonus
  • Other apps available for less
  • Still needs time stamp
  • Without time stamp, timing uncertain
  • Images may not be current
  • Needs time stamp for 5-star rating
  • Lacking in features
  • Not worth the price
  • No animated loop
  • Background maps outline only
  • Warnings lumped with radar selection
  • Does not detect chosen radar location
  • Have to scroll through unrelated warnings
  • Not polished or complete
  • Not very useful
  • Prefer free MyRadar app
  • Title bar transparency not set
  • Need a few more enhancements
  • Temperature information would be helpful
  • Needs more extras to be worth the $
  • Images are extremely pixelated and coarse
  • Not updated every five minutes
  • Hesitate to give more than three stars
  • Others do more for less
  • Decent start, needs updates
  • Radar seems to lag behind
  • Doesn't update for at least 10 minutes
  • Need ability to see multiple radar sites
  • Looping would be an added bonus
  • Other apps available for less

Requested features

40 requests
  • CarPlay support
  • More Doplar radar options (e.g., velocity maps)
  • Show storm watch areas
  • Add landscape option
  • Add street names to maps
Show 35 more
  • Option to display all radar locations at once
  • Remove favorite locations
  • Instructions for app functions
  • Alerts when watch or warning is issued
  • Ability to zoom to major streets
  • Add lightning detection
  • Show time stamps for radar animation
  • Add video of past updates
  • Add temperature information
  • Add favorites functionality
  • Add landscape mode
  • See multiple radar sites simultaneously
  • Add looping functionality
  • Add time stamp for storm speed calculation
  • Add GIS data for Canadian border cities
  • Make available on Pioneer AppRadio
  • Auto-target best radar based on location
  • Add tutorial information on analyzing radar
  • Extend length of loop on current radar
  • Add alert for watches/warnings
  • Add lightning detection
  • Show time stamps for radar animation
  • Add video of past updates
  • Add temperature information
  • Add favorites functionality
  • Add landscape mode
  • See multiple radar sites simultaneously
  • Add looping functionality
  • Add time stamp for storm speed calculation
  • Add GIS data for Canadian border cities
  • Make available on Pioneer AppRadio
  • Auto-target best radar based on location
  • Add tutorial information on analyzing radar
  • Extend length of loop on current radar
  • Add alert for watches/warnings

VortexWeather

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Radar Pro

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

VortexWeather

Subscriptions4
  • Basic Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Basic Annual$50.901 Year
Show 1 more
  • Pro Annual$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Radar Pro free?
Radar Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VortexWeather free?
VortexWeather is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Radar Pro or VortexWeather have ads?
VortexWeather shows ads; Radar Pro does not.

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