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Weather & Environment · head to head

MeteoGroup vs Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

MeteoGroup logo

MeteoGroup

Weather & Environment

Europe's leading commercial weather business

From
On request
Rated
-
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) logo

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Weather & Environment

Hyperlocal precipitation forecasts built into iOS

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MeteoGroup the vendor's own domain (meteogroup.com), as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021, redirects to and displays DTN's own corporate site listing DTN's weather and agriculture product lines (ClearAg, WeatherSentry, ProphetX), confirming in the vendor's own pages that MeteoGroup now operates under the DTN brand with no independent MeteoGroup pricing surviving; no dollar figures were found on the DTN page; 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
  • They diverge on capability: MeteoGroup covers European forecasts, Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where MeteoGroup and Apple Weather (Dark Sky) differ
AttributeMeteoGroupApple Weather (Dark Sky)
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, BroadcastiOS, macOS
Founded19862011

Identical on both: 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 MeteoGroup

  • European forecasts
  • Media graphics
  • Energy trading
  • Transportation weather
  • Agriculture insights
  • Broadcast systems
  • Energy platforms
  • Fleet management

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

What people use each for

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

MeteoGroup

  • Professional Worknot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • Content Creationnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

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

Where each one falls short

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

MeteoGroup

  • The vendor's own domain (meteogroup.com), as captured by the Internet Archive on 29 December 2021, redirects to and displays DTN's own corporate site listing DTN's weather and agriculture product lines (ClearAg, WeatherSentry, ProphetX), confirming in the vendor's own pages that MeteoGroup now operates under the DTN brand with no independent MeteoGroup pricing surviving; no dollar figures were found on the DTN page

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

Pricing, plan by plan

MeteoGroup

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • European coverage
    • Media solutions
    • Energy forecasting

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

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

Which should you pick?

Choose MeteoGroup if

  • You need european forecasts.
  • You work on Web, Api, Broadcast.
  • You also want media graphics.

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.

Questions people ask

Is MeteoGroup or Apple Weather (Dark Sky) better?
Neither clearly leads. MeteoGroup starts at On request and Apple Weather (Dark Sky) at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MeteoGroup or Apple Weather (Dark Sky)?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for MeteoGroup and Free for Apple Weather (Dark Sky).
Does MeteoGroup or Apple Weather (Dark Sky) run on more platforms?
MeteoGroup runs on Web, Api, Broadcast. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) runs on iOS, macOS.
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. MeteoGroup starts at On request.
What is MeteoGroup best used for?
MeteoGroup is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what Apple Weather (Dark Sky) is typically brought in for.
What can MeteoGroup do that Apple Weather (Dark Sky) cannot?
MeteoGroup covers European forecasts, Media graphics, Energy trading, Transportation weather. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Next-hour forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Air quality.

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