# MetService Marine vs LuckGrib

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MetService Marine at none against LuckGrib's 6. MetService Marine also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.4). LuckGrib's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 12 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LuckGrib sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. MetService Marine asks for nothing beyond the download.

LuckGrib holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LuckGrib has 343 ratings behind it against 50, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of MetService Marine's written reviews are positive against 93% of LuckGrib's.

MetService Marine ships an update every 12 months, LuckGrib every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MetService Marine | LuckGrib |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metservice-marine/id783127076/reviews) | **[4.9 (343 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luckgrib/id1318450117/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 50 | **343** |
| Positive reviews | 71.6% of reviews | **92.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MetService](https://appshunter.io/developer/525900893) | [Craig McPheeters](https://appshunter.io/developer/590365129) |

## What reviewers say

### MetService Marine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metservice-marine/id783127076)

Access New Zealand marine weather forecasts, including tides, severe weather alerts, and detailed rainfall predictions. Customize your experience with a saved home location and personalized background images.

**Highlights:** Recreational and Coastal marine forecasts, Severe weather information, Tides, 7.5 minute Rain Radar, 3 day rainfall forecast imagery, Surface pressure maps, User selected default location

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate weather reporting
- 👍 Useful for planning activities
- 👍 Good for marine/boating
- 👍 Provides tide information
- 👍 Good for coastal visits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow to load
- 🐛 App fails to load
- 🐛 Locks up on devices
- 🐛 Latest version not working
- 🐛 Missing locations (Gisborne, Far North)

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to load on iPhone
- App is slow to load
- App locks up on iPad
- Latest version not working
- Cannot change location after initial setup

**Requested features**

- Tide chart on home page
- Tide times for Three Kings Islands
- Map able to be enlarged
- Include Far North coverage
- More content needed


### LuckGrib

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luckgrib/id1318450117)

This app provides advanced weather data visualization, downloading, and routing for sailors and weather enthusiasts. It offers access to a wide range of global and high-resolution weather and ocean models, with features for optimizing routes and analyzing complex weather parameters. Remote access via satellite is also supported.

**Highlights:** GRIB file reader, viewer, and downloader, Advanced weather routing and route analysis, Satellite data access, High-resolution global and regional weather models, Ocean current models, Detailed weather parameter analysis

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14-day Trial | Free | one-time |
| 14 day trial of Offshore Data | Free | one-time |
| 14 day Weather Routing trial | Free | one-time |
| LuckGrib weather data access | $29.99 | one-time |
| Premium Offshore Data access | $59.99 | one-time |
| Weather Routing access | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent weather forecasting and routing
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Wide range of weather models and data sources
- 🚢 Tailored for sailors and offshore navigation
- 💰 One-time purchase, no subscription fees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with GRIB file downloads
- ⚠️ Steep learning curve for some features
- 🔍 Lack of support for some boat types (e.g., catamarans)

**Reported bugs**

- Reported issues with 'no wind data for start time'
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Integration with boat instruments and data logging
- More advanced routing options and customization
- Improved support for regional weather models


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MetService Marine free?

MetService Marine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is LuckGrib free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MetService Marine or LuckGrib?

LuckGrib is rated higher. MetService Marine averages 4.6 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while LuckGrib averages 4.9 from 343 ratings.

### Do MetService Marine or LuckGrib have ads?

MetService Marine shows ads; LuckGrib does not.

### Which is updated more often, MetService Marine or LuckGrib?

MetService Marine ships an update every 12 months, and LuckGrib every 2 months. Most recently, MetService Marine was updated on October 23, 2026 and LuckGrib on October 24, 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.*