# The Weather Network vs Shade Tracker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shade Tracker at none against The Weather Network's 2. Shade Tracker also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Weather Network sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Shade Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Weather Network ships an update fortnightly, Shade Tracker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Weather Network | Shade Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-weather-network/id473299958/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 26.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 116 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pelmorex Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/294356877) | [Sermin Demirbas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769060369) |

## What reviewers say

### The Weather Network

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-weather-network/id473299958)

Plan your days with confidence using this app, offering accurate local and travel weather forecasts. Get real-time radar, severe weather alerts, and detailed reports on air quality and UV index to stay safe and prepared.

**Highlights:** Accurate local forecasts (hourly, 7-day, 14-day), Live radar and satellite maps, Severe weather alerts and government warnings, Precipitation start and stop times, Health and weather reports (Air Quality, UV Index), Customizable widgets, Bilingual support (English/French)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads - Yearly | $6.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Accurate weather forecasts
- 📊 Detailed weather information
- 🌍 Global coverage
- 🎥 Helpful weather videos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💢 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🐌 Slow performance and crashes
- 🤔 Confusing user interface changes
- 🚫 Paid subscription doesn't remove all ads

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to restore purchases
- Geolocation issues
- Forecast data inaccuracies
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions

**Requested features**

- Customizable weather widgets
- Metric units option
- Improved location search
- Better weather alerts and notifications


### Shade Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shade-tracker-sun-simulator/id6799623202)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Weather Network free?

The Weather Network is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shade Tracker free?

Shade Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Weather Network or Shade Tracker have ads?

The Weather Network shows ads; Shade Tracker does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Weather Network or Shade Tracker?

The Weather Network ships an update fortnightly, and Shade Tracker every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Weather Network was updated on October 26, 2026 and Shade Tracker on October 25, 2026.

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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.*