Back in the past, you had to turn on the television in time for the news in order to catch the weather forecast, but it is very easy nowadays. This is because weather apps in your smartphone basically functions as the ultimate weather station. Over the Internet, you can easily access specially processed data from weather stations that hardly anyone could afford on a private basis.
Below, we will show you what we believe to be the best weather apps for iOS and Android. We paid particular attention to how up-to-date the data is, how nicely and clearly the respective information is displayed, and how the special features are arranged. Because in addition to the temperature display, weather apps offer exciting additional functions such as rain radars or information on the pollen count.
The best weather apps for Android & iOS
AccuWeather
The AccuWeather application is the most popular weather app for Android with over 100 million downloads. In fact, it's also one of the best ways to check the weather on your smartphone. After your location has been detected, you will see personalized weather data that is obtained directly from the Global Forecast System (GFS). The design of the app is also really chic and presents the diverse information well.
It is quite a challenge to keep users happy because AccuWeather has plenty of data under one roof. This includes information about the weather, air quality, pollen count for allergy sufferers to take note of, perceived temperature via "RealFeel", hurricanes, and a rain radar. There is also a widget where you can even choose between a light and dark modes. AccuWeather is free if you don't mind occasional advertisements. The ad-free version costs $9.99 annually.
Google Assistant or Siri?
The simplest and most reliable weather app already comes pre-installed on your smartphone: Both Google Assistant and Siri offer you the latest information about the weather at the touch of a button. All you have to do is to activate the voice command "Ok Google, what's the weather like?" or "Hey Siri, what's the weather like today?" by speaking these commands out loud.
You can already see an overview of the weather situation, including the probability of rain and a forecast for the next few hours. With additional commands like "How is the weather this week?" or "Do I need an umbrella today"? you can obtain more information from the wizard.
Google obtains such information directly from the reliable "Weather.com" service, of which we will come back to later. Apple offers its own weather app, from which Siri pulls the information from. Because Google Assistant and Siri are so well integrated into the mobile operating system, you can obtain these weather forecasts from just about anywhere.
Only one widget is missing from Android since Google has separated its "News" service from the weather forecast. If you are looking for a specific widget, we would recommend using another app.
Weather & Radar
With Weather & Radar, you obtain a weather app that offers plenty of information as well as a news feed. This makes it particularly suitable for people who like to enjoy short snippets about the weather situation. Just like in a blog, Weather Online presents images and links that can be clicked for additional information. Apart from this news function, the range of functions is also decent.
As a highlight, in addition to usual features such as weather forecasts, a rain radar, a wind radar, and a temperature radar, there is also a photo feature. This feature offers the possibility to snap a photo with the smartphone camera and send it to friends or relatives complete with accompanying weather information. This is a really cool idea if you would like to show off the current weather at your holiday destination.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of advertising in Weather & Radar. As with AccuWeather, you will have to obtain a subscription for either $0.99 per month or $6.99 annually. You can use a free trial for 14 days to see whether you like it or not.
Weather.com
Last but not least, a very popular weather app that has a clever advantage over other service providers would be Weather.com. This app also collects live feeds from webcams worldwide. In addition, the editors behind Weather.com also create videos complete with forecasts. So if you are partial to a news anchor presentation, we would highly recommend Weather.com.
In addition, Weather.com can keep up with other weather apps in terms of functionality. There is a rain radar, warnings about the current weather situation, and of course, a weather forecast for the next few days. But even Weather.com cannot help but offer a subscription-based model. You will have to pay $4.99 annually or $0.99 monthly. If you don't want to be tied down to a subscription, the entire outlay can be a bit more expensive compared to a monthly or annual subscription.
Geometric Weather for Android
Another tip for Android users: The "Geometric Weather" app shows you the latest information from the "AccuWeather.com" service without any advertisements. As the name suggests, the design is rather abstract and based on geometric shapes. The result? A pretty and light weather app, which cannot compete with the aforementioned alternatives in terms of functionality and features, but those who love something basic and clean will be happy with this.
There is no rain radar, only information for allergy sufferers is available. The focus is therefore on an ad-free experience with a minimalist look. This kind of design language also continues in a pretty-looking widget with different presentation options. Installing Geometric Weather is free as mentioned, without any irritating ads to bother you.
How are your experiences with the above-mentioned weather apps and do you have an ad-free recommendation for Apple iOS? I am happy to include it in this article and respond to your suggestions in the comments.
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