Do Pokemon GO server status apps really work?
One of the more frustrating aspects of Pokemon GO in its first few weeks of release is that it's unquestionably been a victim of its own success. The vast number of people scrambling to catch 'em all right off the bat has made server outages and lag a regular thing, and that's even without hackers trying to take the servers down.
Naturally, where there's a service to be given, there's an app developer or two ready to jump into the fray to assist. With that in mind, we check out two unofficial Pokemon GO companion apps to see if they can really help you determine if the game's servers are down in your area.
First up is Server Status Check for Pokemon GO Free by MCPH software. We'll call this the bare bones alternative, as it simply presents you with a single word to let you know if the server is 'Offline,' 'Unstable,' or good to go in your area, with little explanation of what that means (though at least the words are color-coded).
It's also ad-supported, yet there's no way to figure out how to upgrade to rid yourself of ads. We'll pass on this one and keep searching.
Poke Status - Server status checker for Pokémon GO
FREE!
This app is a little more promising.Poke Statusgives you a big, colorful circle that lets you know at a glance if the servers are currently in good shape, along with an estimation of the current lag, if any. You can also instantly get an update on the present conditions by tapping the 'Check Status' button at the bottom of the screen.
Anecdotally, we tested Poke Status on another device alongside a phone while playing Pokemon GO, and it seemed fairly accurate. If we had a more scientific way to put it to the test, we definitely would.
Server Status For Pokémon GO
FREE!
Last but not least in our mini-round up is Server Status for Pokemon GO. Unlike the other two apps we explored, this one attempts to show you whether or not the servers are up and running in different countries.
Cool, right? There's just one problem -- it doesn't work, at least at the moment. We had zero success getting the app to display anything beyond an introductory ad. That might account for its one-star rating on the App Store.
There are a few other similar apps out there as well, but these three seem to have garnered the most attention for the time being. The bottom line is this: Yes, an app might be able to tell you if the servers are up, and thus whether it's worth going out and playing Pokemon GO. But it might be better to just go out and see for yourself, because you're going to know pretty quickly if the servers aren't working. Trust us on that.