Customer Reviews (500)

Wiseman85x • 2025-03-21T22:15:17-07:00

Apps! Your taxes pay for weather forecasts. NOAA is the best weather forecasting organization on the planet and we already pay for their forecasts with our taxes. That’s right, it’s already paid for. It’s free. Carrot has some cool watch complications. But they want you to pay for weather forecasts that you already pay for. There’s no reason why anyone needs to pay a private company for the data our tax dollars already pay for.

All4ofmyboys • 2025-03-21T13:37:42-07:00

Not only does the app give you weather, it educates you as well with land marks all over the US. Oh and the weather is spot on!

krakrs • 2025-03-21T06:58:49-07:00

Just what I’ve always wanted

Summary of Key Insights

CARROT Weather is a highly-rated weather app known for its unique personality, customization options, and gamified experience. While users appreciate the humor, accuracy, and interactivity, some express concerns about the subscription model, political commentary, occasional inaccuracies, and the cost of unlocking all features. The app has a strong base of loyal users, but addressing the identified pain points and feature requests could further improve user satisfaction and retention.

Key Strengths:

  • Humorous and engaging personality.
  • Highly customizable interface and data sources.
  • Gamified experience with missions, achievements, and interactions.
  • Accurate weather forecasts (generally).

Key Weaknesses:

  • Subscription model and perceived high cost.
  • Political commentary polarizing some users.
  • Occasional forecast inaccuracies.
  • Some features locked behind multiple paywalls.
  • Glitches and bugs reported by some users.

Overall Sentiment: Positive, with many users expressing love and loyalty to the app.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating (implied based on distribution): High (4.5 stars or higher)
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 73.4% (367/500)
    • 4-star: 6% (30/500)
    • 3-star: 4.2% (21/500)
    • 2-star: 3.6% (18/500)
    • 1-star: 12.8% (64/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but the reviews appear to be from recent months/years based on references to current events (e.g., Trump, Ukraine war) and Dark Sky's discontinuation.
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis primarily involved manual review and thematic analysis of the provided reviews. This included sentiment identification, keyword extraction to identify common issues and requests, and categorization of feedback based on different aspects of the app.

Key User Pain Points

  • Subscription Cost and Paywalls: Many users feel the subscription is too expensive, especially considering that some features are locked behind additional paywalls even with a premium subscription (e.g., CarPlay).
  • Political Commentary: A significant number of users are unhappy with the app's political commentary, stating that it's unwanted and divisive in a weather app.
  • Accuracy Issues: Some users report that the forecasts are inaccurate for their area, leading to distrust in the app.
  • Glitches and Bugs: Several users reported bugs, crashes, and syncing issues, particularly with the Apple Watch app and map features.
  • Aggressive Premium Promotion: Some users find the constant prompts to upgrade to premium annoying.

Frequently Requested Features

  • More Customization Options (without additional cost): Users want more customization without being forced to upgrade to higher-tier subscriptions.
  • Improved Accuracy: Users want more reliable and accurate weather data for their specific locations.
  • CarPlay Improvements: Specifically, the ability to display temperature on CarPlay and a more functional map interface.
  • Lunar Times: Addition of lunar times alongside solar times.
  • One-Time Purchase Option: Some users prefer a one-time purchase over a subscription model.
  • Android parity: Users want the android version to be updated to be on par with the iOS counterpart.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Humor and Personality: Users love the snarky and customizable personality of CARROT.
  • Customization: The app's high level of customization, including data sources, layouts, and widgets, is a major draw.
  • Gamification: The missions, achievements, and interactive elements make checking the weather more engaging and fun.
  • User Interface: Many users praise the app's design and ease of use.
  • Multiple Data Sources: The ability to choose from different weather data sources is appreciated.
  • Dark Sky Replacement: Many users switched to CARROT after the discontinuation of Dark Sky and found it to be a suitable replacement.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Political Commentary: Provide an option to completely disable political commentary or remove it altogether. This is a major source of negative feedback.
  • Review Subscription Pricing: Re-evaluate the pricing structure and consider offering a more affordable tier or a one-time purchase option. Explore bundling options or reducing the cost of existing tiers.
  • Improve Forecast Accuracy: Invest in improving the accuracy of weather data, possibly by incorporating more localized data sources or refining forecasting algorithms.
  • Fix Bugs and Glitches: Prioritize fixing reported bugs and glitches, especially those affecting core functionality like the Apple Watch app and radar maps.

Medium Priority:

  • Enhance CarPlay Functionality: Add temperature display to the CarPlay interface and improve the map functionality.
  • Reduce Premium Promotion Frequency: Tone down the frequency of premium upgrade prompts to avoid annoying users.
  • Expand Free Tier Features: Offer more features in the free tier to allow users to fully evaluate the app before subscribing.

Low Priority:

  • Add Lunar Times: Include lunar times in addition to solar times.
  • Android Parity: Ensure that the Android version of the app is up to par with the iOS version.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Hyper-Localized Weather Data Service: A service that provides highly accurate, hyperlocal weather data tailored to specific microclimates or neighborhoods. This could address the accuracy issues reported by some CARROT Weather users.
  • Customizable Weather App with Focus on Data Visualization: A weather app that emphasizes clear and customizable data visualization, allowing users to easily understand complex weather patterns.
  • AI-Powered Weather Chatbot: A chatbot that provides personalized weather forecasts and insights based on user preferences and location.
  • Weather App with Social Features: An app that allows users to share weather experiences and observations with their friends and community.

Trends and Observations

  • Political Polarization: A clear divide exists among users regarding the app's political commentary, with some finding it humorous and others finding it offensive.
  • Dark Sky Migration: Many users migrated to CARROT Weather after the discontinuation of Dark Sky, indicating an opportunity to capture a larger market share.
  • Subscription Fatigue: There's a growing trend of subscription fatigue among users, who are increasingly resistant to paying for multiple subscriptions.
  • Language Preference: The reviews are primarily in English, suggesting a potential opportunity to expand into other languages.
  • Brand Loyalty: Users who enjoy the app's unique personality and features are highly loyal and willing to pay for a premium experience.

Conclusion

CARROT Weather is a successful weather app with a strong brand identity and a loyal user base. However, addressing the identified pain points related to subscription costs, political commentary, and accuracy issues is crucial for maintaining user satisfaction and attracting new users. By focusing on improving the core functionality, offering more affordable pricing options, and being mindful of user preferences regarding political content, CARROT Weather can solidify its position as a leading weather app. A focus on the strengths of the app, such as its humor and customization, should be maintained.

Overall Recommendation: Continue to leverage the app's unique personality and customization options while addressing the key user pain points to improve overall user satisfaction and retention.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/carrot-weather-alerts-radar/id961390574?uo=2