# Illinois Storm Chasers vs Guidepole

The clearest difference is rating: Guidepole at 5.0 against Illinois Storm Chasers's 4.0. Guidepole also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Illinois Storm Chasers's advantage is ratings volume (22 vs 4) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Illinois Storm Chasers sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Guidepole sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Guidepole holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Illinois Storm Chasers has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Illinois Storm Chasers's written reviews are positive against 100% of Guidepole's.

Illinois Storm Chasers ships an update every 3 months, Guidepole weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Illinois Storm Chasers | Guidepole |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/illinois-storm-chasers/id6448988033/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guidepole-wildfire-smoke-map/id6796063881/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 74 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Illinois Storm Chasers, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1687285836) | [Guidepole LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790563876) |

## What reviewers say

### Illinois Storm Chasers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/illinois-storm-chasers/id6448988033)

Get hyper-local weather updates with real-time conditions and minute-by-minute precipitation forecasts. Access interactive NOAA radar and receive alerts for severe weather discussions and maps. Stay informed about your local forecast for the next 48 hours and 7 days.

**Highlights:** Minute-by-minute precipitation forecasts, 48-hour hourly forecasts, 7-day daily forecasts, Interactive NOAA NEXRAD radar, Customizable radar color schemes and layers, Severe weather alerts and forecast discussions

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Ad Removal | $0.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Ad Removal | $4.99 | per year |


### Guidepole

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guidepole-wildfire-smoke-map/id6796063881)

Track active wildfires and monitor smoke plumes with real-time air quality data. Get 24-hour forecasts for smoke and AQI, and receive alerts for fires and poor air conditions near saved locations.

**Highlights:** Live wildfire tracking, Real-time smoke plumes, 24-hour smoke forecast, Air quality index (AQI) monitoring, 24-hour AQI forecast, Customizable alerts, Built-in assistant for queries

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guidepole Fire Pro (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Guidepole Fire Pro | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Illinois Storm Chasers free?

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

### Is Guidepole free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Illinois Storm Chasers or Guidepole?

Guidepole is rated higher. Illinois Storm Chasers averages 4.0 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Guidepole averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Illinois Storm Chasers or Guidepole have ads?

Illinois Storm Chasers shows ads; Guidepole does not.

### Which is updated more often, Illinois Storm Chasers or Guidepole?

Illinois Storm Chasers ships an update every 3 months, and Guidepole weekly. Most recently, Illinois Storm Chasers was updated on November 3, 2026 and Guidepole on November 12, 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.*