Comparison

Cyclone vs CalaWeather

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

Head to head
About

Cyclone

Track hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones globally with real-time satellite imagery and detailed forecasts. Explore interactive maps with current weather, 10-day predictions, and sunrise/sunset times. Enjoy smooth animations and customizable playback for a comprehensive weather overview.

Highlights
  • Live satellite imagery
  • Hurricane and storm tracking
  • Interactive map exploration
  • 10-day weather forecasts
  • Customizable animation playback
  • Global weather data
Read full description

Stay informed and prepared with Cyclone, the comprehensive weather app delivering real-time insights and stunning visuals. Live Satellite Imagery Experience high-resolution cloud cover animations for North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and parts of Russia. Powered by trusted sources like NOAA-NASA GOES, EUMETSAT, SPC, and GDAC for accurate, global weather data. Track Storms Worldwide Monitor hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones with precise projected paths and detailed forecasts. Toggle between ground station data and satellite imagery for a complete view of weather conditions. Interactive Exploration Navigate dynamic terrain, satellite, or standard maps with smooth zoom and pan functionality. Access current weather, 10-day forecasts, and sunrise/sunset times in an intuitive pop-up window. Seamless and Customizable Enjoy fast performance and fluid animations, even on low-bandwidth networks. Control animation playback and speed for a tailored experience.

About

CalaWeather

Provides hyper-local weather information with high-resolution radar and satellite imagery. Get detailed forecasts, future radar, and severe weather alerts to stay informed and safe.

Highlights
  • 250 meter radar resolution
  • High-resolution satellite imagery
  • Future radar for severe weather tracking
  • Current weather updated multiple times per hour
  • Daily and hourly forecasts
  • Save favorite locations
  • Opt-in severe weather push alerts
Features
Read full description

The CalaWeather Mobile Weather App includes: • Access to station content specifically for our mobile users • 250 meter radar, the highest resolution available • High resolution satellite cloud imagery • Future radar to see where severe weather is headed • Current weather updated multiple times per hour • Ability to add and save your favorite locations • Daily and Hourly forecasts updated hourly from our computer models • A fully integrated GPS for current location awareness • Opt-in push alerts to keep you safe in severe weather • Severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service

Screenshots

Cyclone4 screens
CalaWeather3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cyclone at 4.5 against CalaWeather's 3.0. Cyclone also leads on ratings volume (98 vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). CalaWeather's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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. Cyclone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. CalaWeather asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cyclone holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cyclone has 98 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cyclone ships an update every 5 months, CalaWeather every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Cyclone versus CalaWeather: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCycloneCalaWeather
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (98 ratings) — better3.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews61.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings98 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB235 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperElecont LLCLorac Communications Inc.

Customer experience

Cyclone

All ratings98 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral7.1%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews100 reviews
Positive61.0%
Neutral9.0%
Negative30.0%

CalaWeather

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Cyclone

Reported bugs

75 issues
  • Notifications for watch zones needed
  • Ads make quick checks impossible
  • Ads force clicks
  • Ads are too intrusive
  • Interface is poor
Show 70 more
  • Hard to read
  • Not easy to see current location
  • Limited coverage areas
  • Satellite panels do not load
  • Useless app for certain cyclones
  • No satellite reception for Australia
  • Inaccurate data
  • App appears unsupported
  • Not working
  • Waste of money
  • Clouds not shown for weeks
  • Graphics need enhancement
  • Bad cloud depiction
  • Limited to see developing lows
  • Slow updates
  • Not for Russian users
  • App is clunky
  • Only works for America
  • Paid for it, cannot restore purchase
  • Needs updates
  • Force you to click ads
  • CM is too intrusive
  • Satellite images are too rough
  • Maps are outdated
  • Poor coverage
  • Badly designed interface
  • Doesn't show cyclone near NZ
  • Not informative enough
  • Hard to read
  • Not easy to see immediately where storm is
  • Doesn't show radar for southern Gulf of Mexico
  • Doesn't cover Caribbean Sea
  • Limited to see potential developing lows
  • Not for Russian users
  • Rubbish app
  • Satellite images are too rough
  • Maps are outdated
  • Apple cannot restore purchase
  • Cyclones no longer showing up
  • App not updated for years
  • Clouds not shown for weeks
  • Satellite panels do not load
  • Only loads 1/3 of Australia
  • Fails to provide basic forecasts
  • No panels from east coast Australia to west coast US
  • No improvement over free software
  • Satellite images are too rough
  • Maps are outdated
  • Does not cover south half of Gulf and Caribbean
  • Not showing tropical cyclone Wintson (category 5)
  • No Cyclone Winston and no tracking anywhere
  • Doesn't even register Cat 5 cyclone
  • Does not show radar for southern half of Gulf of Mexico
  • Tropical storm not tracked
  • Not shown on radar, not mentioned
  • Cannot see cloud mass off coast of Australia
  • Limited to see potential developing lows
  • Cannot see cloud mass out of the coast of Australia
  • Limited to see potential developing lows
  • Not for Russian users
  • Weather not shown over Russia
  • Image cut off at Russian borders
  • Hardly works
  • No weather on Google map
  • Satellite images are too rough
  • Most cloud situation unclear
  • Maps from two hours ago
  • Hard to tell what's going on
  • Graphics need enhancement
  • No color scales for satellite interpretation

Requested features

17 requests
  • Ability to notify users of watch zones
  • More detail of the Pacific
  • Key to explain color-coded storm intensity
  • Highlight approximate storm location
  • More informative feedback on cyclone intensity (wind strength, speed)
Show 12 more
  • Strength meter with different colored icons for intensity changes
  • Live tracking like Windy
  • Sort functions for locations
  • Add storm surge and potential impact information
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard
  • Key for cyclone icon colors
  • Explain what different colors mean
  • More enhancement of cloud images
  • Color scales for satellite interpretation
  • Show cyclones before Kamchatka, not just Russian border
  • All information in Russian

CalaWeather

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cyclone

One-time1
  • Remove Ads & Limits$1.99
None

CalaWeather

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cyclone free?
Cyclone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CalaWeather free?
CalaWeather is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cyclone or CalaWeather?
Cyclone is rated higher. Cyclone averages 4.5 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while CalaWeather averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Cyclone or CalaWeather have ads?
Cyclone shows ads; CalaWeather does not.
Which is updated more often, Cyclone or CalaWeather?
Cyclone ships an update every 5 months, and CalaWeather every 2 months. Most recently, Cyclone was updated on October 18, 2026 and CalaWeather on October 1, 2026.

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