These two get compared often, and the honest answer is more interesting than a rivalry: RainyMap displays radar imagery powered by RainViewer. They are not competing sources of weather data. The difference is in what each is built to be.
Overview
RainViewer is a weather data company. It aggregates radar feeds from national meteorological networks around the world, blends them with satellite precipitation estimates, and publishes the result through its own website, mobile apps and a commercial API used by other developers.
RainyMap is a free browser-based weather site. It presents RainViewer-powered rain radar alongside separate wind, lightning, temperature and air quality layers, plus forecasts and written weather journalism. It has no app and requires no account.
So the underlying rain radar you see on RainyMap comes from RainViewer. What differs is everything around it.
Where RainViewer Is Stronger
- Mobile apps. Native iOS and Android apps with push notifications for approaching rain — genuinely useful, and something a website cannot match.
- Rain alerts. Notify you before precipitation reaches your location.
- Historical radar. Paid tiers offer archives going back well beyond the free loop.
- Longer forecast animation. Extended nowcast frames on premium plans.
- Developer API. If you are building something, RainViewer sells structured access. RainyMap does not offer this.
- It is the source. For radar specifically, you are one step closer to the origin.
Where RainyMap Is Stronger
- More than rain in one place. Wind, lightning, temperature and air quality are separate layers, each from a specialist source, rather than one product’s view.
- Nothing to install. Works in any browser on any device, with no download and no account.
- Free with no tiers. Every feature is available to everyone. There is no premium version.
- Written context. Guides explaining how radar works and why it sometimes looks wrong, plus reporting on major weather events.
- Question-shaped pages. Direct answers to things like where is it raining right now or a quick rainfall check.
Which Should You Use?
Choose RainViewer if you want a dedicated rain app on your phone, need push alerts before rain arrives, want historical radar archives, or are a developer needing API access.
Choose RainyMap if you want to check conditions quickly in a browser without installing anything, want lightning and air quality alongside rain, prefer everything free with no upgrade prompts, or want the reasoning behind what you are seeing.
Use both if you care about weather regularly. An app for alerts on your phone and a browser tab for the wider picture is a sensible combination, and there is no conflict in doing so.
What They Share
Because RainyMap’s rain layer is RainViewer-powered, the radar coverage, update frequency and accuracy limits are broadly the same. Both are excellent over Europe, North America, Japan and Australia where national radar networks are dense, and both fall back to coarser satellite estimates over oceans and regions without ground radar. Neither is a warning service. For severe weather, follow your national meteorological service.
The honest summary: if your question is purely “is it about to rain on me, alert me on my phone”, RainViewer’s app is the better tool. If it is “show me what the weather is doing, across several measures, in a browser, for free”, that is what RainyMap is built for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does RainyMap use RainViewer data?
Yes. RainyMap’s rain radar layer is powered by RainViewer, which aggregates radar feeds from national meteorological networks worldwide and blends them with satellite precipitation estimates. Other layers on RainyMap, such as lightning and air quality, come from different specialist sources.
Is RainyMap or RainViewer more accurate?
For rain radar they draw on the same underlying data, so accuracy is broadly equivalent. Differences come from presentation, zoom level and colour scale rather than from the measurements themselves.
Is RainyMap free?
Yes, entirely. There is no premium tier, no account and no app to install. RainViewer offers a free tier alongside paid plans that add historical radar, extended forecasts and API access.
Does RainyMap have an app?
No. RainyMap is browser-based and works on any device without installation. If you specifically want a native app with push notifications, RainViewer’s app is the better option.
Can I get rain alerts from RainyMap?
Not currently. Push notifications before rain arrives are an app feature, and RainViewer’s mobile apps provide them.
What does RainyMap offer that RainViewer does not?
Separate live layers for wind, lightning, temperature and air quality from specialist sources, a 7-day forecast, written guides explaining radar interpretation, and reporting on major weather events — all free in a browser with no account required.