Weather & Environment · head to head
MyRadar vs RainViewer
MyRadar
Weather & Environment
Fast animated weather radar at your fingertips
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
RainViewer
Weather & Environment
Global rain radar with accurate precipitation forecasts
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: MyRadar rain and storm time predictions are inaccurate approximately 60 percent of the time according to user reports; RainViewer limited to precipitation forecasting without comprehensive weather data like temperature or wind
- They diverge on capability: MyRadar covers Animated radar, RainViewer covers Global rain radar.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which MyRadar and RainViewer actually diverge.
| Attribute | MyRadar | RainViewer |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Ios, Android, Web | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2012 | 2015 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 MyRadar
- Animated radar
- Fast loading
- Hurricane tracking
- Flight tracking
- Weather layers
- Apple Watch
- CarPlay
- Android Auto
Only in RainViewer
- Global rain radar
- Smooth animations
- 2-hour forecasts
- Lightning data
- Satellite imagery
- API access
- Widgets
- Notifications
Both cover
- Ios support
- Android support
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
MyRadar
- Professional Work
- Content Creation
RainViewer
- 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.
MyRadar
- Rain and storm time predictions are inaccurate approximately 60 percent of the time according to user reports
- Radar coverage is limited to areas with land-based radar sites
- Only supports weather alerts for USA and Australia, not international coverage
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
MyRadar
Free- FreeFree
- Radar animation
- Location tracking
- Alerts
- Premium$4.99/year
- No ads
- Hurricane tracker
- Extended features
RainViewer
Free- FreeFree
- Global radar
- Animations
- Forecasts
- Premium$2.99/month
- No ads
- API access
- Extended history
Which should you pick?
Choose MyRadar if
- You need animated radar.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want fast loading.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is MyRadar or RainViewer better?
- Neither clearly leads. MyRadar 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, MyRadar or RainViewer?
- MyRadar starts at Free and RainViewer at Free.
- Does MyRadar or RainViewer run on more platforms?
- MyRadar runs on Ios, Android, Web. RainViewer runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use MyRadar for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is MyRadar best used for?
- MyRadar is most often used for professional work, content creation.
- What can MyRadar do that RainViewer cannot?
- MyRadar covers Animated radar, Fast loading, Hurricane tracking, Flight tracking. RainViewer covers Global rain radar, Smooth animations, 2-hour forecasts, Lightning data. Both handle Ios support, Android support, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
MyRadar: Does MyRadar work internationally?
MyRadar provides radar coverage in the USA and Australia. Weather watches and warnings for countries other than Australia and the USA cannot be viewed in the app.
SourceRainViewer: 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.
SourceRainViewer: How far ahead can RainViewer forecast rain?
RainViewer provides 2-hour precipitation forecasts updated frequently throughout the day with hyperlocal predictions.
SourceRainViewer: Is RainViewer available on all platforms?
RainViewer offers both a mobile app and web platform for accessing precipitation forecasts and radar data.
Source