The 6 Best Weather Radar Apps in 2026
The sky to the west has gone a bruised shade of purple, and your phone just says cloudy. You need to see what's really coming, and how fast.
The short answer
RadarScope Best overallRadarScope is the best weather radar app for severe weather. It shows raw radar from each station, including velocity, plus NWS warnings and storm tracks. It runs on iPhone, Android and Mac, and you pay upfront. For a free radar that opens instantly with rain alerts, pick MyRadar. On iPhone, CARROT Weather pairs radar with a full forecast.
We checked every app's store page, prices and privacy label in October 2026, then scored each on 5 things. How we rank
Which one is for you?
Best overallRadarScopeStorm spotters, chasers and anyone who lives with severe weather
2
Best free radarMyRadarWalkers, cyclists and commuters who check radar before heading out
3
Best for iPhoneCARROT WeatheriPhone owners who want radar and a forecast in one app
4
Best for weather mapsWindy.comHikers, sailors and pilots who plan days ahead, not minutes
5
Best for hurricanesZoom EarthAnyone in hurricane country who wants to see storms coming
6
Best glanceable forecastMercury WeatherApple users who check radar only to see if it'll rain
- RadarScope shows raw radar like velocity, with NWS warnings and storm tracks. You pay upfront.
- MyRadar is the best free radar: it opens straight to the map and warns you before rain starts.
- CARROT suits iPhone. Windy and Zoom Earth map storms for free. Mercury is for a quick glance.
A weather radar app answers one question better than any forecast: what's heading my way, and when? A forecast gives you a percentage. Radar shows you the real storm, its shape and where it's going. So you can decide whether to light the barbecue or drag it into the garage.
Keep reading
These picks run from raw radar for storm spotters to free maps for a rain check before a walk. They're ranked on radar detail, alerts, price and how much location data each one keeps.
No pick ticks every box.
-
Best overall
1. RadarScope
0Radar as the pros read it, unsmoothed, for anyone who'd rather judge the storm themselves.
- Paid
- iPhone · Android · Mac
- No ads
8.7Tornado warnings are up for the next county, and a pretty rain map won't help much. RadarScope shows raw radar from each station, like velocity, which shows how wind moves in a storm. It refreshes every few minutes, with NWS warnings and storm tracks on top. It's the storm spotter's view, in your pocket.
More about RadarScope
It links with Spotter Network, and CarPlay and Apple Watch keep radar close on the road. Lightning, past radar and forecast models come with Pro Tier subscriptions. The catch: it assumes you can read radar, it costs money upfront and it has no everyday forecast.
Great forStorm spotters, chasers and anyone who lives with severe weather
The catchCosts money upfront and expects you to know how to read radar
Source: App Store -
Best free radar
2. MyRadar
0Tap the icon, see the rain. No menus, no forecast essay, just radar around you.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android
8.3You're about to walk the dog, and the clouds look undecided. MyRadar opens straight to moving radar around you, so the answer takes a second. Rain alerts can warn you up to an hour before it starts. National Weather Service alerts include tornado warnings.
More about MyRadar
Hail season? Hail alerts and a hail size layer arrived this year. Rain alerts can now run as Live Activities too. Wind, fronts and wildfire layers are free. The full hurricane tracker and radar for each station need Premium. The catch: the free app shares location data for ads.
Great forWalkers, cyclists and commuters who check radar before heading out
The catchThe free app shares location data for advertising
Source: App Store -
Best for iPhone
3. CARROT Weather
0Super Res Radar, rain alerts and a full forecast, delivered by a robot with a sharp tongue.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone
9.0A storm is rolling in on your drive home. CARROT Weather puts Super Res Radar, lightning and rain alerts inside a forecast you arrange yourself. So radar sits exactly where you want it. The newest update adds a flexible split-screen radar view.
More about CARROT Weather
Your forecast can come from AccuWeather, Apple Weather or Foreca. The personality runs from polite to foul-mouthed. Apple Watch faces and CarPlay keep radar close. The catch: radar layers, alerts, widgets and extra data sources need Premium Club, and Android is years behind.
Great foriPhone owners who want radar and a forecast in one app
The catchRadar layers and alerts need Premium Club, and Android is years behind
Source: meetcarrot.com -
Best for weather maps
4. Windy.com
0Radar is just the opening act: wind, waves and forecast models move across the map, free.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Web
9.0You're planning a ride for Saturday, and today's radar only tells you about today. Windy pairs radar, satellite and lightning with forecast models you can compare. Watch wind and rain move across the map before they arrive.
More about Windy.com
Pilots, sailors and surfers get airport data, tides and webcams, and there's a hurricane tracker too. There's now a lightning archive, and its privacy label shows nothing linked to you. The catch: the screen is busy, and hourly detail with faster updates needs Premium.
Great forHikers, sailors and pilots who plan days ahead, not minutes
The catchA busy screen, and hourly detail needs Premium
Source: App Store -
Best for hurricanes
5. Zoom Earth
0Watch a hurricane spin from space, then flip to radar to see where the rain lands.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Web
8.6A storm has a name now, and you want to know where it's going. Zoom Earth shows satellite images that refresh every ten minutes. Then flip to rain radar, with National Hurricane Center watches and warnings on the map. Anyone can follow it.
More about Zoom Earth
Wind, temperature and pressure maps fill in the rest. Wildfire hot spots come from NASA data. It works in a browser as well as on iPhone and Android. The catch: the free version shows ads and shares some data for advertising. Longer forecast maps need Pro.
Great forAnyone in hurricane country who wants to see storms coming
The catchAds and some data sharing in the free version
Source: App Store -
Best glanceable forecast
6. Mercury Weather
0For days you don't need radar, just a chart that says rain at four and dry by six.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Mac
- No ads
8.9Sometimes you open a radar app just to learn if it'll rain on the way home. Mercury Weather answers that faster. Its smooth charts show when the rain starts and stops. Widgets put the answer right on your Home Screen.
More about Mercury Weather
Trip Forecast shows the weather at each stop of a trip, and the Apple Watch app is lovely. Its App Store label says Data Not Collected. The catch: it's Apple devices only, with fewer map layers than the radar apps above. Storm watchers should look elsewhere.
Great forApple users who check radar only to see if it'll rain
The catchApple only, with fewer map layers than the radar apps here
Source: mercuryweather.app
Side by side
| # | App | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
RadarScope |
Best overall |
| 2 |
MyRadar |
Best free radar |
| 3 |
CARROT Weather |
Best for iPhone |
| 4 |
Windy.com |
Best for weather maps |
| 5 |
Zoom Earth |
Best for hurricanes |
| 6 |
Mercury Weather |
Best glanceable forecast |
How to choose
What makes a good weather radar app?
Speed first, then detail. A good weather radar app opens to the map, plays the latest frames and warns you before rain arrives. Storm watchers need more: raw radar like velocity, official warnings and storm tracks. That's where RadarScope pulls ahead.
Do you need to pay for a radar app?
Not for everyday rain. MyRadar, Windy and Zoom Earth give you radar for free. Zoom Earth has ads, and MyRadar shares your location. Pay when you need more: RadarScope costs money upfront, and CARROT puts radar layers and alerts behind Premium Club.
Get RadarScope if storms are part of your life and you want radar the way spotters see it. If you just need to know whether rain is minutes away, MyRadar is free and opens straight to the map.
See why RadarScope is #1Compare the top picks
RadarScope
8.7
vs
MyRadar
8.3
RadarScope
8.7
vs
CARROT Weather
9.0
MyRadar
8.3
vs
CARROT Weather
9.0
Questions people ask
What is the best free weather radar app?
MyRadar is the best free weather radar app: it opens straight to moving radar with rain and NWS alerts on iPhone and Android. Windy and Zoom Earth also have free radar, while RadarScope is a paid app.
Is RadarScope better than MyRadar?
For severe weather, yes: RadarScope shows raw radar like velocity, with warnings and storm tracks, and its label says it collects no data. MyRadar is better for quick, free rain checks before you head out.
What is the best weather radar app for Android?
RadarScope is the best Android radar app if you'll pay upfront, and MyRadar is the best free one, with Windy and Zoom Earth close behind. Mercury has no Android app, and CARROT's Android version is years behind.
What is the best weather radar app for iPhone?
RadarScope is the best iPhone radar app for raw storm data, and CARROT Weather is best if you want radar inside a full forecast you can shape your way. MyRadar is the strongest free option.
