Comparison

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER vs WRAL Weather

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

Head to head
About

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER

Get hyper-local weather forecasts with high-resolution radar and satellite imagery. This app provides daily and hourly updates from meteorologists, customizable alerts, and the ability to save favorite locations. It offers exclusive content like video forecasts and weather blogs.

Highlights
  • 250 meter radar
  • Future radar
  • High resolution satellite imagery
  • Daily and hourly forecasts
  • Customizable severe weather alerts
  • Favorite location saving
  • Exclusive video content
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The WAVE 3 News Weather App includes: * Content created just for our app users (including: video forecast updates, video weather blog, science behind the forecast & Hokey Weather Facts) * 250 meter radar, the highest resolution available * Future radar to see where weather is headed * High resolution satellite cloud imagery * Current weather conditions * Daily and Hourly forecasts manually updated from our team of meteorologists * Ability to add and save your favorite locations * A fully integrated GPS for current location awareness * Customizable severe weather alerts * Opt-in push alerts to keep you up-to-date with any changes

About

WRAL Weather

Get accurate local weather forecasts and real-time severe weather alerts for central and eastern North Carolina. Features include interactive radar maps, daily video forecasts, and hurricane tracking. Stay informed about storms, floods, and more with insights from local meteorologists.

Highlights
  • Live local forecasts
  • Real-time weather alerts
  • Interactive radar map
  • DualDoppler5000 radar
  • Hurricane Center
  • Closings & delays
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Stay safe and ahead of the storm with the WRAL Weather app. Get the most accurate, local weather forecasts for Raleigh, Durham and across central and eastern North Carolina straight from the WRAL Severe Weather Center. The app features real-time radar, custom alerts and daily forecasts from trusted local meteorologists. Key Features: Live local forecasts · Get accurate hourly and 7-day forecasts for your current location and favorite saved locations. · Access in-depth weather updates, handwritten with insights from six local meteorologists, not generated by computer models. · Watch WRAL News+ for live updates. · View daily video forecasts available on demand. Real-time weather alerts · Get push notifications based on your location for dangerous weather conditions, including storms, hurricanes, floods and more. · Add locations to Warnings based on your location. Interactive radar map · Track rain and severe weather with high-resolution radar. · Change views to see conditional layers including lighting strikes, wind speed, air quality index and more. · Use DualDoppler5000, the only dual-pol radar covering Wake County, for unmatched storm tracking speed and accuracy. · See future weather patterns with Futurecast. Other special features · View live cams across the region. · Share weather photos and reports directly with WRAL. · Use the Hurricane Center to track tropical storms and hurricanes. · Access closings & delays from schools and local businesses. Download the WRAL Weather app now for the most trusted local weather in North Carolina. Whether you’re checking today’s forecast or tracking an approaching storm, stay informed wherever you are.

Screenshots

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER4 screens
WRAL Weather4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: WDRB+WAVE WEATHER at 4.8 against WRAL Weather's 4.2. WDRB+WAVE WEATHER also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 22%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WDRB+WAVE WEATHER has 21K ratings behind it against 3.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of WDRB+WAVE WEATHER's written reviews are positive against 22% of WRAL Weather's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER ships an update monthly, WRAL Weather every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
WDRB+WAVE WEATHER versus WRAL Weather: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWDRB+WAVE WEATHERWRAL Weather
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (21K ratings) — better4.2 (3.6K ratings)
Positive reviews55.7% of reviews — better22.0% of reviews
Number of ratings21K — better3.6K
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedAd-supported
Best chart rank#168 — better#201
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size262 MB69 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperGray Television Group, Inc.Capitol Broadcasting Company

Customer experience

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER

All ratings20,596 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.5%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive55.7%
Neutral10.7%
Negative33.6%

WRAL Weather

All ratings3,245 ratings
Positive76.2%
Neutral6.3%
Negative17.5%
Written reviews200 reviews
Positive22.0%
Neutral21.5%
Negative56.5%

User reviews

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER

From 21K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Best weather app in Louisville
  • 🚀 Accurate and up-to-date forecasts
  • 🔍 Excellent radar and weather cameras
  • 💡 Comprehensive weather information

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • ⏱️ Slow load times and app performance
  • 📺 Excessive and disruptive advertisements
  • 🔧 Settings reset unexpectedly
  • 🗺️ Inaccurate location-based forecasts

WRAL Weather

From 3.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Accurate local weather forecasts
  • 🔍 Detailed radar and storm tracking
  • 🗣️ Useful voice alerts from meteorologists
  • 💻 Smooth and responsive app experience
  • 🗺️ Ability to track weather in multiple locations

Room to improve

  • 🐞 Buggy radar and loading issues
  • 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
  • 🔍 Difficulty navigating and finding information
  • 🕰️ Delayed weather alerts and notifications
  • 🔧 Lack of customization and settings options

Bugs and requests

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App not working on iPad
  • Temperature readings are incorrect
  • Alerts not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add weather widget for iOS
  • Improve radar overlay controls
  • Provide more granular alert settings
  • Enhance video playback experience

WRAL Weather

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Radar not loading or freezing
  • Incorrect temperature and weather data
  • Saved locations not updating properly
  • Notifications not working as expected
  • App crashes or becomes unresponsive

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve radar animation and controls
  • Provide more detailed weather data and forecasts
  • Allow users to customize alert preferences
  • Integrate with smart home devices and services

In-app purchases

None

WDRB+WAVE WEATHER

No in-app purchases

None

WRAL Weather

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WDRB+WAVE WEATHER free?
WDRB+WAVE WEATHER is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is WRAL Weather free?
WRAL Weather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WDRB+WAVE WEATHER or WRAL Weather?
WDRB+WAVE WEATHER is rated higher. WDRB+WAVE WEATHER averages 4.8 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while WRAL Weather averages 4.2 from 3.6K ratings.
Do WDRB+WAVE WEATHER or WRAL Weather have ads?
Both WDRB+WAVE WEATHER and WRAL Weather show ads.
Which is updated more often, WDRB+WAVE WEATHER or WRAL Weather?
WDRB+WAVE WEATHER ships an update monthly, and WRAL Weather every 2 months. Most recently, WDRB+WAVE WEATHER was updated on November 7, 2026 and WRAL Weather on November 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, WDRB+WAVE WEATHER or WRAL Weather?
WDRB+WAVE WEATHER currently peaks at #168 in the App Store charts, and WRAL Weather at #201. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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