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Apple Weather (Dark Sky) vs Flighty

Apple Weather (Dark Sky) logo

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Weather

Hyperlocal precipitation forecasts built into iOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flighty logo

Flighty

Aviation

Subscription flight tracking for iOS with predictive delay alerts

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple Weather (Dark Sky) dark Sky as a standalone app and API no longer exists, it was removed from the App Store and its API shut down; Dark Sky's technology now only exists folded into the built-in Apple Weather app, so any 'Dark Sky' branded product/API can no longer be evaluated or purchased; Flighty it is iOS-only, so a mixed-platform household or an Android user cannot use it at all.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Flighty covers Delay prediction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and Flighty actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and Flighty differ
AttributeApple Weather (Dark Sky)Flighty
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreePer user per month or one-time purchase
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, macOSiOS
CategoryWeatherAviation
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

  • Minute-by-minute precipitation
  • Next-hour forecasts
  • Severe weather alerts
  • Air quality
  • UV index
  • iOS widgets
  • Siri
  • Apple Watch

Only in Flighty

  • Delay prediction
  • Gate and baggage alerts
  • Auto flight import
  • Taxi and weather context
  • Trip statistics
  • Family sharing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

  • Checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iPhone/iPad/Mac/Apple Watchnot Flighty
  • Viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 daysnot Flighty
  • Viewing high-resolution precipitation radar mapsnot Flighty
  • Receiving severe weather notificationsnot Flighty

Flighty

  • A frequent business flyer who wants a delay warning before the gate agent announces itnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • An iPhone user willing to pay for a single well-maintained app instead of a free ad-supported onenot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • A family wanting to see at a glance where a travelling relative currently isnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • A traveller who wants automatic flight import from confirmation emails without manual entrynot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

  • Dark Sky as a standalone app and API no longer exists, it was removed from the App Store and its API shut down; Dark Sky's technology now only exists folded into the built-in Apple Weather app, so any 'Dark Sky' branded product/API can no longer be evaluated or purchased
  • Apple Weather has no public pricing/API tier of its own comparable to the old Dark Sky API, developers must use Apple's separate WeatherKit product instead
  • Apple Weather (the consumer app) is limited to Apple's own platforms; it is not available on Android or Windows

Flighty

  • It is iOS-only, so a mixed-platform household or an Android user cannot use it at all.
  • The free tier tracks very few flights, so anyone who flies more than occasionally is pushed toward the subscription almost immediately.
  • Delay predictions are a probability model, not a guarantee, and can be wrong in either direction.
  • It depends on the same underlying ADS-B and airline feeds as free trackers, so the raw position data is not exclusive to Flighty.
  • A lifetime purchase is expensive relative to a year or two of the annual plan, so it only pays off for someone certain they will use it for years.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full weather features
    • Minute-by-minute rain
    • Severe alerts

Flighty

On request
  • Flighty Plus$9.99/month
    • Unlimited tracked flights
    • Delay prediction alerts
    • Gate, baggage and taxi data
  • Flighty Plus Annual$49/year
    • Same features billed yearly
  • Flighty Lifetime$299/one-time
    • One-time purchase, no renewal

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Weather (Dark Sky) if

  • You need minute-by-minute precipitation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want next-hour forecasts.
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) review

Choose Flighty if

  • You need delay prediction.
  • You work on iOS.
  • You also want gate and baggage alerts.
Flighty review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or Flighty better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) starts at Free and Flighty at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or Flighty?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and On request for Flighty.
Does Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or Flighty run on more platforms?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) runs on iOS, macOS. Flighty runs on iOS.
Can I use Apple Weather (Dark Sky) for free?
Yes. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Flighty starts at On request.
What is Apple Weather (Dark Sky) best used for?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) is most often used for checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iphone/ipad/mac/apple watch, viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 days, viewing high-resolution precipitation radar maps, receiving severe weather notifications. Of those, checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iphone/ipad/mac/apple watch and viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 days are not what Flighty is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Weather (Dark Sky) do that Flighty cannot?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Next-hour forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Air quality. Flighty covers Delay prediction, Gate and baggage alerts, Auto flight import, Taxi and weather context.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Weather (Dark Sky): Is Dark Sky still available as a standalone service?

No. Dark Sky is no longer a standalone service. The Dark Sky API was discontinued on March 31, 2023, and replaced by Apple's WeatherKit API. Apple integrated Dark Sky's features into its native Weather app.

Source
Flighty: Is there an Android version?

No. Flighty has only ever shipped for iOS.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky): What features from Dark Sky are now in Apple Weather?

Apple Weather includes hyperlocal forecasts down to 0.001° precision, next-hour precipitation forecasts with charts and maps, extended hourly forecasts for 10 days, high-resolution weather maps with precipitation and air quality overlays, and government-issued severe weather alerts.

Source
Flighty: Can I use it for free?

A limited free tier exists but tracks very few flights; regular use requires the Plus subscription or the lifetime purchase.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky): What API replaced Dark Sky's API?

Developers who used Dark Sky API can now use Apple's WeatherKit API, which works across multiple platforms and replaces the deprecated Dark Sky API.

Source
Flighty: How is it different from Flightradar24 or FlightAware?

Those are free-first, cross-platform trackers with ads; Flighty is a paid iOS-only app that adds predictive delay alerts.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky): What versions of Apple OS support the new Weather features?

Apple Weather with the new features is accessible on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS 13 Ventura or newer, available through the App Store.

Source
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