Softwr

Software · head to head

Apple Weather (Dark Sky) vs Planet Labs

Apple Weather (Dark Sky) logo

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Software

Hyperlocal precipitation forecasts built into iOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Planet Labs logo

Planet Labs

Software

Daily satellite imagery for environmental monitoring

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; Planet Labs planet publishes no price for its monitoring subscriptions: no rate per square kilometre, no minimum area and no commitment length appears on the product page
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Planet Labs covers Daily satellite imagery.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and Planet Labs differ
AttributeApple Weather (Dark Sky)Planet Labs
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, macOSWeb, Api
Founded20112010

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

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 Planet Labs

  • Daily satellite imagery
  • Change detection
  • Agriculture monitoring
  • Forest tracking
  • Climate data
  • API access
  • GIS platforms
  • Cloud services

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 Planet Labs
  • Viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 daysnot Planet Labs
  • Viewing high-resolution precipitation radar mapsnot Planet Labs
  • Receiving severe weather notificationsnot Planet Labs

Planet Labs

  • Daily satellite imagery monitoring of a defined area of interestnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • Detecting change in land use, agriculture and infrastructure over timenot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • Feeding satellite imagery into analytics and machine learning pipelinesnot 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

Planet Labs

  • Planet publishes no price for its monitoring subscriptions: no rate per square kilometre, no minimum area and no commitment length appears on the product page
  • Access is sold only through a subscription scaled by sales to the customer's stated needs, so there is no self service purchase
  • Every pricing route on the page is a contact sales button

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

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

Planet Labs

On request
  • ExplorerFree
    • Limited imagery
    • Basic tools
    • Entry tier
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full archive
    • API access
    • Custom analytics

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 Planet Labs if

  • You need daily satellite imagery.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want change detection.
Planet Labs review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or Planet Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) starts at Free and Planet Labs 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 Planet Labs?
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 Planet Labs.
Does Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or Planet Labs run on more platforms?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) runs on iOS, macOS. Planet Labs runs on Web, Api.
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. Planet Labs 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 Planet Labs is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Weather (Dark Sky) do that Planet Labs cannot?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Next-hour forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Air quality. Planet Labs covers Daily satellite imagery, Change detection, Agriculture monitoring, Forest tracking.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

More on Planet Labs

Keep looking

Other head to heads