Comparison

HeatWave vs WeatherFlo

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

Head to head
About

HeatWave

This app monitors outdoor and indoor temperatures to alert you when to open or close your windows for optimal home climate control. It uses your HomePod's sensor and local weather forecasts to provide timely notifications, helping you save energy and stay comfortable without an air conditioner.

Highlights
  • Real-time indoor/outdoor temperature display
  • Forecast-based opening/closing alerts
  • 30-minute advance notifications
  • Home screen widgets
  • Privacy-first, no servers or tracking
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

A heat wave's worst trick is making you feel powerless. HeatWave is the simple, beautiful way to take back control of your home's temperature — without an air conditioner. Most of us already know the trick: open the windows when it's cooler outside, shut them when it gets hotter. The problem is knowing exactly when. HeatWave watches the weather forecast for your location and your indoor temperature, then quietly pings you 30 minutes before the air outside is about to cross the air inside. Open up just before it gets cool. Shut up just before it gets warm. That's it. HOW IT WORKS HeatWave uses Apple Weather to fetch a fresh, accurate forecast for your exact location. It uses your HomePod's built-in temperature sensor via Apple's Shortcuts app to know how warm it is inside. A guided setup wizard walks you through everything in under five minutes — tap the shortcut once, point it at your HomePod, then schedule when it runs. The more often the shortcut runs, the more precise your alerts become. HeatWave suggests a sensible minimum (hourly between 7–10am and 6–9pm) and tells you how to fine-tune it further. ON THE DASHBOARD A single screen tells you everything you need to know: • A bold status card that says "Open the windows" or "Shut the windows" right now. • Side-by-side cards showing your live indoor and outdoor temperatures, with timestamps so you always know how fresh the data is. • A countdown to the next change — "Open in 1h 24m" — with the forecast temperature at that moment. • A 12-hour bar chart of upcoming outdoor temperatures so you can plan your day at a glance. WIDGETS FOR YOUR HOME SCREEN Add HeatWave to your home or lock screen and you may never need to open the app. Small, medium, and large widgets show the current recommendation, your inside/outside temperatures, and a live countdown to the next window change. Lock-screen accessory widgets (circular, rectangular, inline) keep an eye on things at a glance. NOTIFICATIONS THAT FIRE 30 MINUTES AHEAD Get a gentle ping half an hour before each crossover, with the projected outdoor temperature so you can decide if it's worth getting up for. A built-in buffer prevents flip-flop alerts when temperatures wobble. WHY HEATWAVE • No air conditioner needed — works with the windows you already have. • Saves electricity and protects you from heat exhaustion in countries unprepared for high temperatures. • Beautiful, friendly UI with subtle haptics and warm gradients. • Privacy-first: everything lives on your device. No accounts, no servers, no tracking. • Fully localised in six languages. REQUIREMENTS • HomePod mini or HomePod 2nd generation (for indoor temperature) • iPhone running iOS 17 or later • Apple Weather (WeatherKit) for outdoor forecasts A heat wave doesn't have to leave you sweating. With HeatWave, your home gets a head start every time the air outside changes. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

WeatherFlo

Read full description

Weather is more than a data point. It is a mood, a moment and a reason to pause. WeatherFlo transforms current weather conditions into a cinematic visual experience. Open the app and see the weather represented through immersive video scenes matched to the conditions around you. Rain over the city. Golden light across the landscape. Clouds moving over the coast. Each weather state has its own atmosphere. Weather that feels alive WeatherFlo uses your location, with permission, to show current conditions and relevant cinematic weather content. You can also search for other locations and explore their weather manually. The experience updates as the weather changes, combining useful forecast information with carefully created visual scenes. Built for discovery Explore weather in locations around the world, with dedicated cinematic content available for selected cities and regions. New location-specific scenes are added continuously. Whether you are at home, travelling or curious about somewhere else, WeatherFlo offers a different way to experience the world outside. More than a conventional weather screen WeatherFlo combines current conditions and forecasts with atmospheric visual storytelling. It is designed for travellers, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who believes weather should be experienced, not merely checked. Features Cinematic video matched to current weather conditions Current temperature and weather information Hourly and daily forecasts Location-aware weather, with permission Search for locations around the world Dedicated visual scenes for selected cities and regions Day and night weather experiences Curated contextual recommendations A clean, immersive interface WeatherFlo. Weather as Experience. Weather information is supplied by third-party weather services. Forecast availability and accuracy may vary by location.

Screenshots

HeatWave3 screens
WeatherFlo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WeatherFlo at none against HeatWave's 3. On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. HeatWave sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. WeatherFlo asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HeatWave ships an update every 11 days, WeatherFlo every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 7 level
HeatWave versus WeatherFlo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeatWaveWeatherFlo
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristopher HeffermanCAPEXFLY (PTY) LTD

In-app purchases

3 purchases

HeatWave

One-time3
  • Coffee Money Tip$2.99
  • Pint Money Tip$4.99
  • Dinner Money Tip$14.99
None

WeatherFlo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HeatWave free?
HeatWave is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WeatherFlo free?
WeatherFlo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HeatWave or WeatherFlo have ads?
Neither HeatWave nor WeatherFlo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HeatWave or WeatherFlo?
HeatWave ships an update every 11 days, and WeatherFlo every 6 days. Most recently, HeatWave was updated on October 24, 2026 and WeatherFlo on October 28, 2026.

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