Comparison

Modern METAR Widget vs SkyBrief

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

Head to head
About

Modern METAR Widget

Get live aviation weather reports directly on your home and lock screens. Customize the appearance and track multiple airports without any subscriptions or in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Live METAR data on home/lock screen
  • No subscriptions or in-app purchases
  • Customizable text and background colors
  • Support for multiple airports
  • Automated flight category tags (VFR, MVFR, IFR)
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

No Monthly Subscription and No In-App Purchases! Display any METAR data on your Lock screen and Home screen! Modern METAR Widget provides instant situational awareness with just a glance at your phone. Whether you are checking the latest station report or monitoring wind shifts for your next flight, the data you need is always one glance away, no need to unlock your phone or launch a heavy app. CORE FEATURES: -No Subscriptions: Pay once and enjoy unlimited access to live METAR data. -Instant Home & Lock Screen Access: View real-time reports via sleek, color-coded widgets. -Customizable Appearance: Fully control text and background colors -Multi-Airport List: Save multiple airports to toggle between at anytime! -Automated Flight Categories: Tags for VFR, MVFR, and IFR appear at a glance to easily know the conditions SIMPLICITY: Modern METAR Widget strips away the clutter. It has a modern User Interface with sleek designs and easy controls. Add your airports, customize your look, and get back to flying. Reliable, professional data from aviationweather.gov, delivered exactly where you need it.

About

SkyBrief

This app provides comprehensive preflight weather briefings, route planning, and weight & balance calculations for general aviation pilots. It summarizes conditions, highlights hazards, and assesses flight risks to ensure safe departures. Supports custom aircraft profiles and personal minimums.

Highlights
  • Weather briefings with AI summaries
  • Route planning with hazard highlighting
  • Weight & balance calculations
  • Personal minimums and alerts
  • Flight risk assessment (FRAT)
  • Regional weather charts and NOTAMs
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SkyBrief — Preflight Weather Briefings for Pilots Honest, complete weather briefings you can trust before every flight. SkyBrief turns raw METAR, TAF, TFR and NOTAM data into a clear go/no-go picture — with no invented values and no guesswork. When a data source is unavailable, SkyBrief tells you plainly instead of filling the gap with made-up numbers. FREE • Live METAR & TAF for any U.S. airport, decoded into plain language • Automatic VFR / MVFR / IFR / LIFR flight category and a go/no-go read • NOTAM digest — active notices grouped by type, closures and restrictions first • Nearby stations, airport directory, and a 24-hour conditions trend • Weight & balance calculator with CG envelope • Flight logbook, currency tracker, and custom checklists • Home Screen widget — your home airport's conditions at a glance • Shareable briefing cards PRO • AI-powered plain-language briefings, with voice read-aloud • Route briefings with real FAA TFRs and true terrain profiles • Winds-aloft nav log and a best-altitude optimizer (compare time & fuel by altitude) • Live radar & satellite overlay on your route • Personal-minimums monitoring with optional push alerts • Kneeboard flight mode, W&B what-if scenarios, and PDF briefing export • Cloud-synced briefing history BUILT ON HONEST DATA Your decisions deserve honest inputs. SkyBrief shows real observations and forecasts from aviationweather.gov and the FAA — and is transparent whenever data is missing or a scan can't complete. ACCESSIBLE Full in-app text-size scaling and high-contrast, readable text in every lighting and sky condition. SkyBrief is a decision-support tool and is not a substitute for an official FAA weather briefing. Always obtain an official briefing before flight. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://skybriefapp.com/privacy.html SkyBrief Pro is an auto-renewable subscription. Monthly and annual plans are available with a 7-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

Modern METAR Widget4 screens
SkyBrief4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Modern METAR Widget at 91% against SkyBrief's 25%. Modern METAR Widget also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). SkyBrief's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99). On ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement 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

SkyBrief is free to download; Modern METAR Widget costs $0.99 up front. SkyBrief sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Modern METAR Widget asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Modern METAR Widget holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Modern METAR Widget's written reviews are positive against 25% of SkyBrief's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Modern METAR Widget ships an update every 4 days, SkyBrief every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Modern METAR Widget versus SkyBrief: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterModern METAR WidgetSkyBrief
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (45 ratings) — better4.6 (18 ratings)
Positive reviews90.9% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings45 — better18
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#48 — better#197
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB85 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSean HeikenRohith Velmurugan

Customer experience

Modern METAR Widget

All ratings45 ratings
Positive97.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%

SkyBrief

All ratings16 ratings
Positive81.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Modern METAR Widget

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

SkyBrief

Subscriptions2
  • SkyBrief Pro Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • SkyBrief Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • SkyBrief Pro Monthly$4.99
  • SkyBrief Pro Annual$39.99

Questions

Is Modern METAR Widget free?
Modern METAR Widget costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SkyBrief free?
SkyBrief is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Modern METAR Widget or SkyBrief?
Modern METAR Widget is rated higher. Modern METAR Widget averages 4.8 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while SkyBrief averages 4.6 from 18 ratings.
Do Modern METAR Widget or SkyBrief have ads?
SkyBrief shows ads; Modern METAR Widget does not.
Which is updated more often, Modern METAR Widget or SkyBrief?
Modern METAR Widget ships an update every 4 days, and SkyBrief every 9 days. Most recently, Modern METAR Widget was updated on November 5, 2026 and SkyBrief on November 5, 2026.
Which is more popular, Modern METAR Widget or SkyBrief?
Modern METAR Widget currently peaks at #48 in the App Store charts, and SkyBrief at #197. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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