Recently, Apple acquired Dark Sky, one of the best weather apps on iPad, iPhone, and Android, and swiftly shut down its Android version. Many users from the Android community loved the Dark Sky app for its minimal UI and accurate hourly forecasts. However, with the app gone, users are looking for a Dark Sky replacement that has a well-designed interface and brings real-time weather forecasts. Well, to make things easier for you, we have curated a list of the 10 best Dark Sky alternatives. We have picked the apps which offer a smooth user experience with all the essential metrics. So without further ado, let’ go through the list.
Best Dark Sky Alternatives for Android in 2020
1. Today Weather
Dark Sky was known for its intuitive UI and hourly update of weather conditions. So if you are looking for a similar app that excels on both these counts then Today Weather is the perfect alternative on Android. It has the best user interface, with all the data tailored on the main screen in a cohesive and readable manner. Nothing is overdone on the home screen. Apart from that, it brings many useful metrics in a card-like menu which includes humidity, UV Index, Air Quality Index, Pressure and more.
But that is not all. The best part about Today Weather is that it allows you to choose the weather data from multiple sources. Of course, Today Weather still relies on Dark Sky’s API and it’s going to remain there till late 2021, but you have the option to pick data from Accuweather, OpenWeather, Foreca, and many government-run meteorological institutes. Having said that, Today Weather does show a banner ad, but it’s not intrusive. So to put it straight, Today Weather is the best Dark Sky alternative at this moment and you should definitely try it on your Android smartphone.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
2. Overdrop
Overdrop is my second pick as a Dark Sky replacement and it’s for two major reasons. Excellent UI with hourly and weekly forecast and minimal information on home screen. If you want to learn more about humidity, cloud cover, pressure, etc. then you can expand the bar to get more information. The second reason is no ads on the main screen even on the free version which is awesome. Apart from that, Overdrop brings Theme which has various graphics designs and background colors including AMOLED, Dark, Space, Light and more. Further, Overdrop also has an option to show persistent notification and has several widgets that are very well designed. Simply put, Overdrop may not be as data-rich as other weather apps, but it’s minimal and brings all essential information in one place.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
3. Geometric Weather
Geometric Weather is not a popular app and certainly not in the realms of Dark Sky, but it has a beautiful interface based on geometrical shapes. It’s also lightweight and brings all the important information on the home screen. Geometric Weather provides you with real-time temperature, hourly and 15-days weather forecast, air quality index and wind speed. If you want more information like humidity, UV Index, Atmospheric pressure, etc. then you can scroll to the bottom and get the latest updates. The app also allows you to customize the data cards on the home screen. Geometric Weather uses Accuweather as its data source, unlike other weather apps that are still relying on Dark Sky’s API. So, if you want a reliable app that has a well-designed interface with hourly weather updates then Geometric Weather is a suitable alternative to Dark Sky.
Install (Free)
4. Weawow
Weawow is another excellent weather app that looks and functions very similar to Dark Sky. It offers you current weather information with all kinds of data including rain precipitation, humidity, wind speed, pressure, and more. Not to mention, you get hourly updates for three parameters and that includes temperature, rain, and wind. Further, Weawow also provides local air quality information from AQICN, so that is pretty good. Apart from all this, it allows you to select your data source from MET, Dark Sky, Weatherbit, Accuweather and more. And the best thing about Weawow is that there are no ads whatsoever on its interface. You can donate the developer as you wish, but even in the free tier, the UI is ad-free. To sum it up, Weawow is a powerful weather app and it’s surely capable of replacing Dark Sky on your Android smartphone.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
5. Carrot
Carrot is a unique and funny weather app which brings a hilarious twist to weather forecasts. It displays weather forecasts in current, hourly, and weekly basis but with an equal amount of humor. That said, the app is not for everyone, but someone who has an appetite for AI-generated jokes. Apart from that, Carrot has this spooky UI design where weather data keeps changing the graphics. Sometimes, there will be the sound of the blizzard and sometimes you will hear torrential downpours. As I said, Carrot is a distinct weather app and has some weird weather-related jokes to get you through the day. With all that said, you can access all the information like precipitation, wind speed, pressure and more. To conclude, Carrot is a funny weather app and you should definitely give it a try.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
6. Appy Weather
Appy Weather is for those users who want an excellent user interface and user experience while navigating through a weather app. In fact, Appy Weather is the winner of Google Play’s Best of 2019 in the “Everyday Essentials” category. It has both a scrollable interface and card menu based on hourly, daily and weekly timeline. You can find accurate weather forecasts as the app is powered by Dark Sky’s API. There are also options to view RADAR data in real-time, persistent notification for weather updates and widget support, but these are available under the paid plan. I would say if you are looking for the same weather accuracy as Dark Sky, but in a swanky new interface then go ahead with Appy Weather. I am sure, it won’t disappoint you.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
7. 1Weather
1Weather is one of the most popular weather apps on the Play Store and brings tons of information related to weather, rain, air quality and more. On the UI front, it may not be as polished as Dark Sky, but it’s very data-rich and offers features like real-time RADAR and video updates for free. As for the metrics, you have precipitation, humidity, dew point, visibility, and more. The app also offers daily and hourly forecast and allows you to add multiple locations on the main dashboard. 1Weather also brings smart alerts which means whenever there is a severe change in weather conditions, you will be notified instantly. Apart from that, 1Weather does not use Dark Sky’s API instead, it collates the information from DTN WeatherOps. So, if you want a weather app that is filled with various environmental metrics then 1Weather is a very good alternative to Dark Sky.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
8. The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel does not need much introduction as it’s one of the oldest weather broadcast channels and an API provider for many apps and companies. As for the app, you get various information like real-time local temperature, precipitation, wind speed in an hourly manner. As for the weekly and daily forecasts, you get a very good summary of how the weather will behave in the upcoming days. The distinct part about The Weather Channel is its repository of videos which explains the trend in RADAR, the wind speed and overall climate situation all around the world. However, keep in mind, the app shows ad banners and video ads so if you like their video explanation then go for the premium subscription.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
9. AccuWeather
AccuWeather is another weather forecasting service that many apps in this list use. However, you can use its standalone app which is pretty good and provides a summary of all the weather information on the home page. And similar to Dark Sky, it also shows you hourly, daily and weekly weather forecasts. In terms of accuracy, it’s very close to Dark Sky and many users prefer AccuWeather over other weather forecasting services. They use data from satellites, RADAR, surface maps and through meteorologist institutes of various countries. Apart from that, AccuWeather has a Map section where you can see weather conditions of various locations in one tap. To put it straight, AccuWeather is a reliable source of weather conditions all around the world and you can surely give it a try.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
10. Flowx
Flowx is a bit different from the Dark Sky app, but I have mentioned it for those data geeks who want to analyze weather conditions all around the world. Unlike Dark Sky which gives you hourly information, Flowx is all about understanding the bigger picture of climate that is developing across the globe. It has a weather map from where you can visualize the forecast, learn forecast models from its 30+ data types and more. Further, you can use various graphs and metrics to understand RADAR reflectivity and hurricane tracks. Simply put, Flowx gives you ample data to interpret the next weather cycle and if you are into this stuff, you can very well try Flowx on your Android smartphone.
Install (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
Find the Best Dark Sky Alternatives for Android
So those are our picks for the best Dark Sky alternatives that you can find on Android. In this list, we have mentioned apps that are well-designed and those which provide ample data to gauge the weather condition more accurately. Further, we have included apps that are not the best on the UI front but bring a lot of data to the table. So based on your preference, you can pick the best Dark sky replacement for Android.
If you liked this article you will also enjoy our round up of best Android gallery apps, camera apps, and more. If you love free apps, don’t forget to read our article on open-source Android apps. Anyway, that is all from us. If you found the article informative, do comment down below and let us know.
