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Weather & Environment · head to head

Carrot Weather vs RainViewer

Carrot Weather logo

Carrot Weather

Weather & Environment

Hilariously accurate weather app with personality

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RainViewer logo

RainViewer

Weather & Environment

Global rain radar with accurate precipitation forecasts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Carrot Weather most advanced weather data sources (AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Aeris Weather, Netatmo personal stations) and map layers (lightning, alerts, wind, humidity, dew point, snow depth) are locked behind paid Premium/Ultrapremium Club subscriptions, not included in the base app; RainViewer limited to precipitation forecasting without comprehensive weather data like temperature or wind
  • They diverge on capability: Carrot Weather covers Personality modes, RainViewer covers Global rain radar.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carrot Weather and RainViewer actually diverge.

Attributes where Carrot Weather and RainViewer differ
AttributeCarrot WeatherRainViewer
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsiOS, Android, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20132015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather & Environment).

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 Carrot Weather

  • Personality modes
  • Multiple data sources
  • Custom layouts
  • Secret locations
  • Snarky commentary
  • Apple Watch
  • Siri shortcuts
  • Macos support

Only in RainViewer

  • Global rain radar
  • Smooth animations
  • 2-hour forecasts
  • Lightning data
  • Satellite imagery
  • API access
  • Notifications
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Widgets
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Carrot Weather

  • Checking current, hourly, and daily weather forecasts with a humorous AI personalitynot RainViewer
  • Viewing radar, storm cell, and weather alert mapsnot RainViewer
  • Receiving push notifications for rain, lightning, or storm cells (premium)not RainViewer
  • Tracking historical weather data (up to 70 years back) or long-range forecasts via the 'weather time machine' featurenot RainViewer
  • Using Apple Watch complications/widgets for at-a-glance forecastsnot RainViewer

RainViewer

  • Professional Worknot Carrot Weather
  • Content Creationnot Carrot Weather

Where each one falls short

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

Carrot Weather

  • Most advanced weather data sources (AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Aeris Weather, Netatmo personal stations) and map layers (lightning, alerts, wind, humidity, dew point, snow depth) are locked behind paid Premium/Ultrapremium Club subscriptions, not included in the base app
  • Background Apple Watch updates for premium data sources require an active subscription
  • Pricing for named tiers (Premium Club, Premium Ultra, Premium Family) is disclosed only via in-app purchase screens rather than a public pricing page with fixed dollar figures
  • Mac App Store listing shows a separate $14.99 one-time purchase price for macOS, a different pricing model than the free-to-download iOS/Android version

RainViewer

  • Limited to precipitation forecasting without comprehensive weather data like temperature or wind
  • Forecast window limited to 2 hours, not suitable for extended weather planning
  • Smaller global weather station network compared to national meteorological services
  • Limited historical weather data compared to competing weather platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Carrot Weather

Free
  • Premium Club$undefined/mo
    • Additional data sources and map layers
  • Ultrapremium Club$undefined/mo
    • Full data sources, map layers, notifications
  • Premium Family$undefined/mo
    • Shares Premium/Ultrapremium across up to 5 family members

RainViewer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Global radar
    • Animations
    • Forecasts
  • Premium$2.99/month
    • No ads
    • API access
    • Extended history

Which should you pick?

Choose Carrot Weather if

  • You need personality modes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS.
  • You also want multiple data sources.
Carrot Weather review

Choose RainViewer if

  • You need global rain radar.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want smooth animations.
RainViewer review

Questions people ask

Is Carrot Weather or RainViewer better?
Neither clearly leads. Carrot Weather starts at Free and RainViewer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carrot Weather or RainViewer?
Carrot Weather starts at Free and RainViewer at Free.
Does Carrot Weather or RainViewer run on more platforms?
Carrot Weather runs on iOS, Android, macOS. RainViewer runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Carrot Weather for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Carrot Weather best used for?
Carrot Weather is most often used for checking current, hourly, and daily weather forecasts with a humorous ai personality, viewing radar, storm cell, and weather alert maps, receiving push notifications for rain, lightning, or storm cells (premium), tracking historical weather data (up to 70 years back) or long-range forecasts via the 'weather time machine' feature. Of those, checking current, hourly, and daily weather forecasts with a humorous ai personality and viewing radar, storm cell, and weather alert maps are not what RainViewer is typically brought in for.
What can Carrot Weather do that RainViewer cannot?
Carrot Weather covers Personality modes, Multiple data sources, Custom layouts, Secret locations. RainViewer covers Global rain radar, Smooth animations, 2-hour forecasts, Lightning data. Both handle Widgets, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RainViewer: What weather data does RainViewer use?

RainViewer processes radar data from over 1,000 radar stations worldwide to provide precipitation forecasts with sub-kilometer accuracy updated every 5 minutes.

Source
RainViewer: How far ahead can RainViewer forecast rain?

RainViewer provides 2-hour precipitation forecasts updated frequently throughout the day with hyperlocal predictions.

Source
RainViewer: Is RainViewer available on all platforms?

RainViewer offers both a mobile app and web platform for accessing precipitation forecasts and radar data.

Source
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Related pages

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