Best Weather App for Android
You want one, but which is the best weather app for Android? With so many options to choose from, which is going to strike that delicate balance between useful and easy on the eyes? Are they worth spending for? We run through a few to give you a great idea of just what’s what with Android weather apps. From some familiar faces to a few niche oddities, we present the best weather apps for Android, even crowning a winner!
The Weather Channel
Who’s going to beat the standard, right? The one who started our fascination with weather in the modern age, The Weather Channel’s app brings you all you need to know about weather. From coverage of natural disasters to hourly weather changes, TWC is an easy pick-up. While it’s one of the more informative around, it’s a bit cumbersome. If you want data at a glance, this isn’t going to suit you. Navigation in the app is simple enough, but scrolling through several screens to get a comprehensive look at data is sometimes a pain.
AccuWeather
AccuWeather is leaned on by several major news channels for weather info. Like The Weather Channel, their data is top notch and undisputed. From a technical standpoint, there is no question Accuweather is great. The app, though, is one best suited for tablets. Though you can get it on any device, their layout looks best on a tablet. That’s great when you’re at home, but unless you have a tablet with a cellular connection, that’s not desirable.
Weather Bug
Like Accuweather, this one is best for tablets. Is it the best weather app for Android, though? Sadly, no, it’s not. The phone interface is clumsy and cluttered, trying to pack far too much into one screen. We’ll admit it’s a catch 22, but Weather Bug just falls short of striking a good balance.
MyRadar
If you live in a place with severe weather, MyRadar is one you’d likely want to look into. Offering up a focus on those weather occurrences which can wreck a home or cancel a round of golf, MyRadar is a great option. There is no hourly or 10-day readout, and the interface is a touch clinical. We love this one for its use in severe conditions, but as a day-to-day app, this isn’t it.
Google Now
Tap on the weather card, and you get a forecast for your week, and a slider that offers up an hourly synopsis. You can scroll it back and forth to see what’s happening in your day, and clever icons hit home. We like this one because it’s already included in many Android phones, but is it the champion?
Yahoo!
Yahoo Weather is clean, efficient, and focussed. The gorgeous landing page draws pictures from Flickr (another Yahoo property), bringing you a look at what conditions might actually look like. Their interface is easily the most maneuverable, laid out in a scroll-down card. From hourly forecasts to a radar image of your area, Yahoo gives it to you.
Conclusion
The Weather Channel and AccuWeather are both great apps, but a bit clumsy on the interface. Weather Bug is dated, and needs an overhaul. MyRadar is useful in a concerning pinch, but far from a daily app. If anything, we advise you to have it as a backup. Google Now is great, but not everyone has Now. Yahoo is our winner, here. It’s accurate, and just plain beautiful. Clean and easy to use, data comes quicker than any other app tested. Even better, Yahoo Weather is free, so you don’t pay a dime for the best weather app for Android.
