Weather & Environment · head to head
Windy vs Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
Windy
Weather & Environment
Advanced weather visualization and forecasting platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
Weather & Environment
Hyperlocal precipitation forecasts built into iOS
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Windy windy Premium is required for the 1-hour and 15-day forecast outlook, 4-6x daily model updates, 24-hour radar/satellite loops with 1-year archives, and tide forecast maps, per the App Store listing; the free tier lacks these; 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: Windy covers Weather visualization, Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Windy and Apple Weather (Dark Sky) actually diverge.
| Attribute | Windy | Apple Weather (Dark Sky) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | iOS, macOS |
| Founded | 2014 | 2011 |
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 Windy
- Weather visualization
- Wind forecasts
- Precipitation maps
- Interactive charts
- Real-time data
- Global weather models
- Satellite data
- Weather APIs
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
Both cover
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Windy
- Weather analysisnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
- Flight planningnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
- Wind pattern analysisnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
- Meteorological researchnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
- Checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iPhone/iPad/Mac/Apple Watchnot Windy
- Viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 daysnot Windy
- Viewing high-resolution precipitation radar mapsnot Windy
- Receiving severe weather notificationsnot Windy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Windy
- Windy Premium is required for the 1-hour and 15-day forecast outlook, 4-6x daily model updates, 24-hour radar/satellite loops with 1-year archives, and tide forecast maps, per the App Store listing; the free tier lacks these
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
Windy
Free- FreeFree
- Weather maps
- Wind forecasts
- Precipitation data
- Premium$5.99/month
- Advanced models
- Historical data
- API access
Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
Free- FreeFree
- Full weather features
- Minute-by-minute rain
- Severe alerts
Which should you pick?
Choose Windy if
- You need weather visualization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want wind forecasts.
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 Windy or Apple Weather (Dark Sky) better?
- Neither clearly leads. Windy starts at Free 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, Windy or Apple Weather (Dark Sky)?
- Windy starts at Free and Apple Weather (Dark Sky) at Free.
- Does Windy or Apple Weather (Dark Sky) run on more platforms?
- Windy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) runs on iOS, macOS.
- Can I use Windy for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Windy best used for?
- Windy is most often used for weather analysis, flight planning, wind pattern analysis, meteorological research. Of those, weather analysis and flight planning are not what Apple Weather (Dark Sky) is typically brought in for.
- What can Windy do that Apple Weather (Dark Sky) cannot?
- Windy covers Weather visualization, Wind forecasts, Precipitation maps, Interactive charts. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Next-hour forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Air quality. Both handle Ios support.