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Weather · head to head

Hello Weather vs Weather.gov

Hello Weather logo

Hello Weather

Weather

Simple beautiful weather with multiple sources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weather.gov logo

Weather.gov

Weather

Official U.S. National Weather Service forecasts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hello Weather limited features in free version compared to competitors with native rain alerts; Weather.gov no official mobile app, requiring users to access through browser or shortcuts
  • They diverge on capability: Hello Weather covers Multiple data sources, Weather.gov covers Official forecasts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hello Weather and Weather.gov actually diverge.

Attributes where Hello Weather and Weather.gov differ
AttributeHello WeatherWeather.gov
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsiOS, iPadOS, Android, watchOSWeb
Founded20161870

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

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 Hello Weather

  • Multiple data sources
  • Simple design
  • Comparison mode
  • Custom icons
  • Widgets
  • Apple Watch
  • iOS widgets
  • Siri shortcuts

Only in Weather.gov

  • Official forecasts
  • Severe weather warnings
  • Radar imagery
  • Marine forecasts
  • Aviation weather
  • API access
  • Data feeds
  • Alert systems

What people use each for

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

Hello Weather

  • Professional Work
  • Content Creation

Weather.gov

  • Professional Work
  • Content Creation

Both are used for professional work, content creation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Hello Weather

  • Limited features in free version compared to competitors with native rain alerts
  • Smaller development team means slower feature updates compared to enterprise weather apps
  • No native invoicing or team management for business use

Weather.gov

  • No official mobile app, requiring users to access through browser or shortcuts
  • No push notifications for weather alerts
  • Outdated user interface compared to commercial alternatives
  • Mobile website has been decommissioned with no dedicated mobile experience

Pricing, plan by plan

Hello Weather

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Current, hourly, daily forecasts
    • Multiple data source options
    • Dark mode
  • VIP$3/year
    • Home screen and lock screen widgets
    • Push notifications for precipitation
    • Apple Watch app

Weather.gov

Free
  • FreeFree
    • All forecasts
    • Severe weather alerts
    • Radar data

Which should you pick?

Choose Hello Weather if

  • You need multiple data sources.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, iPadOS, Android, watchOS.
  • You also want simple design.
Hello Weather review

Choose Weather.gov if

  • You need official forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want severe weather warnings.
Weather.gov review

Questions people ask

Is Hello Weather or Weather.gov better?
Neither clearly leads. Hello Weather starts at Free and Weather.gov at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hello Weather or Weather.gov?
Hello Weather starts at Free and Weather.gov at Free.
Does Hello Weather or Weather.gov run on more platforms?
Hello Weather runs on iOS, iPadOS, Android, watchOS. Weather.gov runs on Web.
Can I use Hello Weather for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hello Weather best used for?
Hello Weather is most often used for professional work, content creation.
What can Hello Weather do that Weather.gov cannot?
Hello Weather covers Multiple data sources, Simple design, Comparison mode, Custom icons. Weather.gov covers Official forecasts, Severe weather warnings, Radar imagery, Marine forecasts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hello Weather: What is Hello Weather's business model?

Hello Weather is free to download from the App Store with optional VIP membership. VIP costs $3 for one year, $5 for two years, or $7 for lifetime access.

Source
Weather.gov: Does Weather.gov have a mobile app?

No. The National Weather Service does not provide an official mobile app. Users can access weather.gov through a mobile browser or create a home screen shortcut, but there is no dedicated app for push notifications or offline access.

Source
Hello Weather: What weather data sources does Hello Weather support?

Hello Weather supports multiple weather data sources including Apple Weather, AccuWeather, Foreca, OpenWeather, Pirate Weather, The Weather Company, Tomorrow.io, Visual Crossing, Weatherbit, and Xweather.

Source
Weather.gov: Is Weather.gov free?

Yes. Weather.gov and its public API at api.weather.gov are completely free to use with no subscription fees. The API only requires a User-Agent header identification and serves weather data at no cost.

Source
Hello Weather: What platforms does Hello Weather support?

Hello Weather is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android. It includes Apple Watch app and complications, plus home screen and lock screen widgets.

Source
Weather.gov: What data formats does Weather.gov API support?

The API supports multiple formats including GeoJSON (default), JSON-LD, DWML, OXML, CAP (Common Alerting Protocol), and ATOM, allowing developers to integrate weather data into various applications.

Source
Hello Weather: Is Hello Weather an independent project?

Yes, Hello Weather is developed by indie developers Jonas Downey and Trevor as a side project. The team describes themselves as friends with day jobs who make the app for fun.

Source
Weather.gov: Can I get detailed forecast data beyond basic predictions?

Yes. Weather.gov provides gridpoint endpoints with 12-hour and hourly forecast periods, raw forecast data at approximately 2.5km resolution, current observations from weather stations, and detailed alerts with state, county, and zone filtering.

Source
Hello Weather: When was Hello Weather first launched?

Hello Weather was launched in 2016 and has achieved half a million downloads with thousands of paying VIP customers.

Source
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Related pages

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