Love serious forecasts but don't need offshore routing, GRIB files, and a pricey subscription? WindTrac is the PredictWind alternative for the rest of us — top forecast models rendered as one beautiful animated map of wind, waves, and rain, with no ads, no account, and full offline downloads. Free on iOS and Android.
Top forecast models on one simple animated map — with full offline downloads, and no routing wizard to learn.
PredictWind is a powerful offshore weather suite — routing, GRIB downloads, departure planning — built for serious passage-making. But if you're a coastal sailor or board-sports rider who just wants top models on one clean, animated map without the cost or learning curve, WindTrac is the better everyday app. Here's an honest side-by-side.
| WindTrac | PredictWind | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Clean, animated everyday map | Offshore routing & weather suite |
| Best for | Coastal sailors, kite, windsurf, wing, surf | Offshore sailors & racers |
| Animated wind streamlines | Yes — the core of the app | Maps & tables, routing-focused |
| Forecast models | GFS, ICON-EU, ECMWF AIFS & IFS HRES, GFS-Wave, ECMWF Wave — per layer | PWG & PWE (downscaled), ECMWF, GFS, UKMO & more |
| Weather routing & GRIB | No — visualization-focused | Yes — a core strength |
| Full offline downloads | Yes — region + forecast (Pro) | Offline GRIB & offshore app |
| Ads | None | None (subscription) |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Native iOS & Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Price | Free; optional Pro (7-day trial) | Limited free tier; paid subscriptions |
Comparison based on publicly available information and intended as a fair, factual overview; details may change. “PredictWind” is a trademark of its respective owner. WindTrac is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by PredictWind.
The three reasons we hear most from people who don't need a full offshore suite.
Top forecast models on one clean, animated map — no routing wizard or settings to wade through. Open it and the conditions are just there.
The full map, every layer and model, and 72-hour forecasts are free — no account. Pro adds offline and extended forecasts for far less than an offshore suite.
Download a region and its full forecast and keep the animation, layers, and timeline running offline — at the dock or out of coverage.
For coastal sailing and board sports — kitesurfing, windsurfing, wing foiling, surfing — yes. WindTrac gives you a beautiful animated wind, wave, and weather map with top models (NOAA GFS, DWD ICON-EU, ECMWF AIFS and IFS HRES) and full offline downloads, free, with no account. PredictWind is a more specialized offshore suite built around weather routing, GRIB files, and passage planning; if you need those, PredictWind remains the deeper tool. WindTrac trades that complexity for a simpler, free, glanceable everyday app.
No. WindTrac is focused on beautifully visualizing the forecast — animated wind, waves, and precipitation you can scrub through time. It does not generate optimized sailing routes or export GRIB files. If offshore routing and GRIB are central to your planning, a dedicated routing tool is a better fit; many sailors use WindTrac alongside one for the at-a-glance picture.
WindTrac's full interactive map, all layers and models, and 72-hour forecasts are free with no account and no ads. WindTrac Pro is an optional subscription (monthly or yearly, each with a 7-day free trial) that unlocks offline maps and forecasts beyond 72 hours, and is priced well below typical offshore weather suites.
Yes. With WindTrac Pro you can download a region and its full forecast — wind, waves, and the basemap — and the animated map, layers, and timeline keep working with no connection at all, which is useful coastal cruising or anywhere coverage drops.