Comparison

WRAL Weather vs WCBD Weather

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

Head to head
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
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.

About

WCBD Weather

Get accurate, customized local and national weather forecasts with interactive radar. Receive personal alerts for severe weather and track storms with advanced mapping technology. Stay informed about current conditions and news headlines.

Highlights
  • Live interactive radar with layering options
  • Severe weather alerts with audio cues
  • Accurate hour-by-hour forecasts
  • Latest video forecasts
  • Current weather conditions nationwide
  • Multiple custom location tracking
  • News and weather headlines
Features
Read full description

Never let the weather catch you by surprise again. The trusted weather experts at Storm Team 2 deliver Charleston, South Carolina's most accurate hour-by-hour forecast for the next day and for the week ahead. Unlike other weather apps, you'll get a local forecast that is customized for you. Download the WCBD Weather app for fast, accurate local and national weather at your fingertips. With its personal alert notifications, you'll know when significant weather is heading your way and when to take cover. And when you are traveling, use WCBD Weather to get real-time weather forecasts, interactive radar and current conditions for anywhere in the U.S. The WCBD Weather app utilizes the most advanced radar maps, weather and digital technology available. With its easy to use interactive radar, you can take control and see where the storm is now and where it is tracking. Then, set customized alerts to keep you and your family informed and safe. Features: - Live interactive radar with many layering options lets you track the storms around you - Alerts for severe weather go to your home screen and cue an audio alert - The most accurate hour-by-hour forecast for the next day and week ahead for Charleston, SC - The latest video forecast from Storm Team 2 - Current weather conditions for Charleston, SC and anywhere in the United States - You can set multiple custom locations to track forecasts, alerts, radar, and more - News and weather headlines from counton2.com

Screenshots

WRAL Weather4 screens
WCBD Weather4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: WRAL Weather at 4.2 against WCBD Weather's 2.8. WRAL Weather also leads on ratings volume (3.6K vs 20). WCBD Weather's advantage is review sentiment (41% vs 22%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

WRAL Weather holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WRAL Weather has 3.6K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 22% of WRAL Weather's written reviews are positive against 41% of WCBD Weather's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
WRAL Weather versus WCBD Weather: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWRAL WeatherWCBD Weather
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (3.6K ratings) — better2.8 (20 ratings)
Positive reviews22.0% of reviews41.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.6K — better20
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB105 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperCapitol Broadcasting CompanyLIN Television Corporation

Customer experience

WRAL Weather

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

WCBD Weather

All ratings19 ratings
Positive36.8%
Neutral5.3%
Negative57.9%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive41.2%
Neutral11.8%
Negative47.1%

Bugs and requests

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

WCBD Weather

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

WRAL Weather

No in-app purchases

None

WCBD Weather

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WRAL Weather free?
WRAL Weather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is WCBD Weather free?
WCBD Weather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WRAL Weather or WCBD Weather?
WRAL Weather is rated higher. WRAL Weather averages 4.2 out of 5 from 3.6K ratings, while WCBD Weather averages 2.8 from 20 ratings.
Do WRAL Weather or WCBD Weather have ads?
Both WRAL Weather and WCBD Weather show ads.
Which is updated more often, WRAL Weather or WCBD Weather?
WRAL Weather ships an update every 2 months, and WCBD Weather every 2 months. Most recently, WRAL Weather was updated on November 10, 2026 and WCBD Weather on November 1, 2026.

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