Apple Weather vs Windy.com
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's a near tie: both score 9.0, with Apple Weather ahead by a hair, so the right pick depends on what you need. Apple Weather wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Windy.com on 1.
iPhone, iPad and Mac owners who want a good forecast without another app
Outdoor fans, pilots and sailors who want to see the weather for themselves
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Apple Weather | Windy.com |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Weather | Weather |
| Category rank | #2 of 8 | #3 of 8 |
| Developer | Apple | Windyty, SE |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Apple Weather better than Windy.com?
It's a near tie: both score 9.0, with Apple Weather ahead by a hair, so the right pick depends on what you need. Apple Weather wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Windy.com on 1.
Which is cheaper, Apple Weather or Windy.com?
Apple Weather: Free and built into iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. Windy.com: Free; Windy Premium adds hourly 15-day forecasts with more frequent updates. On value for money, Apple Weather scores higher.
Do Apple Weather and Windy.com work on the same devices?
Only Apple Weather runs on Mac. Only Windy.com runs on Android, Web.
Which is more private, Apple Weather or Windy.com?
Apple Weather scores higher on privacy (9.0/10). App Store label: no tracking. Rough location and a device ID are linked to you; precise location, searches, usage and diagnostics are collected without your identity.
Strengths and weaknesses
Apple Weather
- Free, ad-free and already on your iPhone
- Clean charts and maps that are easy to read
- Rain and severe weather notifications
- No Android, Windows or web version
- Next-hour rain and alerts aren't offered in every country
- You can't customize the layout or pick a data source
Apple Weather is the forecast app already on your iPhone, and it's good enough that many people never need another. You get hour-by-hour charts, a 10-day outlook, next-hour rain alerts, severe weather warnings, air quality and maps. iOS 27 added a Highlights summary and quick switching between conditions, rain and wind. You can't change the layout or the data source, and some features aren't offered in every country.
Full Apple Weather review
Windy.com
- Compare forecast models side by side
- Tons of features for free
- Privacy label shows nothing linked to you
- Busy screen can overwhelm casual users
- Hourly detail and faster updates need Premium
Windy puts the tools weather experts use into a free app. Flip between models like ECMWF, GFS, ICON, meteoblue and sharp local ones. Then watch wind, rain, waves, snow or air quality move across more than 50 map layers. Pilots, sailors, surfers and storm watchers get airport data, tides, webcams and a hurricane tracker. It takes some learning, but nothing else this capable costs so little.
Full Windy.com review
