HookEcho review
A free, open-source radar app with storm tools and offline maps, not broad forecasts.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
HookEcho is a free, open-source weather radar app built around public weather data, rather than a broad daily forecast. Its Android version is aimed at people who want to inspect radar and severe-weather activity, including storm chasers; it also runs in a browser and has Windows, Linux and macOS builds. Android requires version 10 or newer on an arm64 device, and the app is distributed as a sideloaded APK. That makes it a more specialized choice than a conventional weather app, particularly for Android users who are comfortable installing software outside an app store.
The radar view offers selectable products, sites, tilt and thresholds, with additional layers for storm tracks, storm attributes, MRMS and SPC outlook. Users can review recent radar and replay historical scans. Saved locations can be monitored for watch, warning and emergency tiers, with background notifications; a home-screen widget and quick-settings tile provide additional ways to access the app. Chase mode adds live GPS position, closest approach and escape bearing, while offline basemap packs help keep maps available in areas without data connectivity. Together, these capabilities make radar analysis and storm monitoring its center of gravity, not general-purpose forecasting.
HookEcho is free, and its open-source status may suit users who prefer that model. The product spans cloud, desktop and mobile, with community and documentation support. The main trade-off is the Android distribution and device requirement: installation is sideloaded, and the build requires Android 10 or newer on arm64. Choose HookEcho if radar layers, warning monitoring, scan replay or chase tools matter more than a broad forecast experience. If you want a conventional Android weather app centered on everyday forecasts, a less specialized alternative may be a better fit.
HookEcho pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Selectable radar products, sites, tilt and thresholds
- Watch, warning and emergency notifications run in the background
- Chase tools and offline basemap packs support field monitoring
- Where it doesn't
- Android requires version 10 or newer and an arm64 device
- Android installation requires sideloading the APK
- Its focus is radar and storm analysis rather than broad forecasting
HookEcho fact sheet, pricing and score →
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