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Weather · head to head

Windy vs Zoom Earth

Windy logo

Windy

Weather

Advanced weather visualization and forecasting platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoom Earth logo

Zoom Earth

Weather

Free browser-based satellite weather and storm tracking, no account or install

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Zoom Earth there are no push notifications or alerts, so it cannot warn you proactively the way a mobile weather app can.
  • They diverge on capability: Windy covers Weather visualization, Zoom Earth covers Global satellite view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Windy and Zoom Earth actually diverge.

Attributes where Windy and Zoom Earth differ
AttributeWindyZoom Earth
Pricing modelfreemiumFree, no account required
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2014Unknown

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 Windy

  • Weather visualization
  • Wind forecasts
  • Precipitation maps
  • Interactive charts
  • Real-time data
  • Global weather models
  • Satellite data
  • Weather APIs

Only in Zoom Earth

  • Global satellite view
  • Storm tracking
  • MODIS high resolution
  • Historical imagery
  • Precipitation radar overlay
  • No install required

What people use each for

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

Windy

  • Weather analysisnot Zoom Earth
  • Flight planningnot Zoom Earth
  • Wind pattern analysisnot Zoom Earth
  • Meteorological researchnot Zoom Earth

Zoom Earth

  • Watching a hurricane or typhoon track develop without installing an appnot Windy
  • A quick global satellite check before deciding whether a local forecast app is worth openingnot Windy
  • Journalists or researchers needing a citable, no-login satellite view of a weather eventnot Windy
  • Comparing current satellite imagery against archived imagery from years earlier for the same regionnot 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

Zoom Earth

  • There are no push notifications or alerts, so it cannot warn you proactively the way a mobile weather app can.
  • It has no offline mode, so it is unusable without an internet connection, unlike apps that cache forecasts.
  • Forecasting is minimal; it shows what the satellites and radar currently see rather than a detailed hyperlocal forecast.
  • Being free and unaccountable to a paying customer base, there is no committed support channel if the site or a data feed goes down.
  • The browser-only interface is less convenient for quick daily checks than a home-screen app icon with widgets.

Pricing, plan by plan

Windy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Weather maps
    • Wind forecasts
    • Precipitation data
  • Premium$5.99/month
    • Advanced models
    • Historical data
    • API access

Zoom Earth

Free
  • Zoom EarthFree
    • Full satellite and storm tracking access
    • No account, no ads-gated tier
    • No offline mode or push 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.
Windy review

Choose Zoom Earth if

  • You need global satellite view.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want storm tracking.
Zoom Earth review

Questions people ask

Is Windy or Zoom Earth better?
Neither clearly leads. Windy starts at Free and Zoom Earth at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Windy or Zoom Earth?
Windy starts at Free and Zoom Earth at Free.
Does Windy or Zoom Earth run on more platforms?
Windy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zoom Earth runs on Web.
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 Zoom Earth is typically brought in for.
What can Windy do that Zoom Earth cannot?
Windy covers Weather visualization, Wind forecasts, Precipitation maps, Interactive charts. Zoom Earth covers Global satellite view, Storm tracking, MODIS high resolution, Historical imagery.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoom Earth: Do I need to create an account?

No. Zoom Earth works without registration or login.

Zoom Earth: Is there a mobile app?

No, it is a responsive website that works in mobile browsers rather than a native app.

Zoom Earth: How current is the imagery?

Geostationary imagery updates roughly every 10 to 15 minutes; higher-resolution MODIS imagery updates about twice a day.

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