The 7 Best Weather Apps to Replace Dark Sky on iPhone and Android

by James · January 5, 2023

Dark Sky, one of the best weather apps on Android and iOS, officially ended its service at the end of 2022. Apple acquired Dark Sky in 2020 and slowly transferred some (but not all) features to the Apple Weather app, but its shutdown means that users must find a replacement. Fortunately, there are several great apps on Android and iOS with hyper-localized weather tracking, accurate weather forecasts, and user-friendly interfaces that can fill the dark sky-shaped hole in your app launcher.

Table of Contents

Carrot Weather (Android, iOS)

Carrot Weather derives its weather data from the same data used by Dark Sky, so the local forecasts are often accurate and reliable. It even includes options to make the app look and behave like Dark Sky. But instead of dry weather readings, Carrot Weather’s updates and comments are often humorous and sarcastic, and the app features stylized art and animations that stand out against the often plain and utilitarian designs of other third-party weather apps.

Carrot Weather is free to download, but it uses your location and data for advertising. You can remove the ads for $1 per month or $4 per year, and unlock features like widget support and historical weather data.

AccuWeather (Android, iOS)

This was my go-to weather app on Android, and it’s just as good on iOS. The free, ad-supported version includes local weather forecasts, severe weather alerts, radar maps, minute-by-minute precipitation estimates, air quality readings and more. You can also see and read AccuWeather’s weather news in the app. The paid AccuWeather Premium app removes ads for $9 a year or $1 a month, while the Premium+ version adds additional weather alerts, home and lock screen widgets, better local forecast accuracy, and more for $20 a year or $2 a month.

Flowx (Android)

Flowx is an Android weather app known for high local forecast accuracy, even in the free version. The app allows you to view a wealth of meteorological data, and over 20 different forecast models for up to seven days of weather outlook. The paid Flowx Pro adds even more features like customizable weather maps, home and lock screen widgets, and up to 16-day forecasts.

Flowx is currently Android only, but an iOS version is in development and should be an excellent option if it matches the Android version’s features and performance.

The Weather Channel (Android, iOS)

The Weather Channel app is one of the most popular third-party weather apps on Android and iOS for a reason. It includes simple hourly, daily or weekly forecasts as well as real-time rainfall and temperature tracking in the app or home screen widget. Along with the weather information, you can also watch Weather Channel videos and live coverage, view pollen/dust levels, check current flu or COVID-19 infection rates for your neighborhood, and much more.

The free version is ad-supported, but you can customize how the app uses your information, and you can delete saved data or disable location tracking at any time (although this will reduce forecast accuracy). The paid version removes the in-app ads for just $1 per month or $10 per year.

Apple Weather (iOS)

The default weather app for iOS was significantly improved after Apple acquired Dark Sky. The app is completely free and comes pre-installed on all Apple devices. Apple Weather isn’t as feature-rich as the now-defunct Dark Sky, and some users note that its forecast accuracy isn’t as good as Dark Sky’s, which is a shame. Hopefully one day Apple Weather will be as reliable and detailed as Dark Sky, but as it stands you’ll still get localized forecasts; warnings for storms, tornadoes and floods; widgets for your home and lock screen or Apple Watch face and more, with no ads and no subscription fees.

MyRadar Weather Radar (Android, iOS)

MyRadar displays animated weather radar and forecasts on your Android device, iPhone or Apple Watch. The smartwatch widget is easy to use and great for checking current weather, while the full app includes video content and displays for niche data like seismic activity, wind speed, jet stream levels, wildfires, and even flight paths. The app also sends National Weather Center alerts for storms, tornadoes, and other severe weather, and you can customize alerts for warnings of incoming precipitation. The premium version adds even more real-time storm tracking.

RadarScope (Android, iOS)

RadarScope is a good choice for hardcore weather geeks. It’s a paid app, but that means more features than many free apps, and it doesn’t sell information to advertisers. The standard $10 app displays NEXRAD Doppler radar data (the same weather data used by the National Weather Service, Federal Aviation Administration and US Air Force), plus warnings for storms, extreme weather and other hazards.

You can pay to upgrade the app’s features, starting with the Pro Tier 1 subscription that adds more real-time meteorological data and better radar imaging for $10 a year. Pro Tier 2 lets you view archived radar data, predictive storm tracking tools and National Weather Service storm reports for $15 a month or $100 a year.