Weather & Environment · head to head
AirVisual vs Carrot Weather
AirVisual
Weather & Environment
World's largest air quality information platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Carrot Weather
Weather & Environment
Hilariously accurate weather app with personality
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: AirVisual outdoor readings depend on nearby government or crowdsourced monitors, so accuracy varies with local coverage; Carrot Weather most advanced weather data sources (AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Aeris Weather, Netatmo personal stations) and map layers (lightning, alerts, wind, humidity, dew point, snow depth) are locked behind paid Premium/Ultrapremium Club subscriptions, not included in the base app
- They diverge on capability: AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, Carrot Weather covers Personality modes.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AirVisual and Carrot Weather actually diverge.
| Attribute | AirVisual | Carrot Weather |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Ios, Android, Web | iOS, Android, macOS |
| Founded | 2015 | 2013 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather & Environment).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in AirVisual
- Global AQI coverage
- 3-day forecasts
- Health recommendations
- City rankings
- Historical data
- Smart displays
- Android support
- Web support
Only in Carrot Weather
- Personality modes
- Multiple data sources
- Custom layouts
- Secret locations
- Snarky commentary
- Siri shortcuts
- Macos support
- Watchos support
Both cover
- Widgets
- Apple Watch
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
AirVisual
- Checking local air quality and PM2.5 levelsnot Carrot Weather
- Seven day air quality forecastsnot Carrot Weather
- Health guidance based on current pollutionnot Carrot Weather
- Comparing indoor and outdoor air with an IQAir monitornot Carrot Weather
Carrot Weather
- Checking current, hourly, and daily weather forecasts with a humorous AI personalitynot AirVisual
- Viewing radar, storm cell, and weather alert mapsnot AirVisual
- Receiving push notifications for rain, lightning, or storm cells (premium)not AirVisual
- Tracking historical weather data (up to 70 years back) or long-range forecasts via the 'weather time machine' featurenot AirVisual
- Using Apple Watch complications/widgets for at-a-glance forecastsnot AirVisual
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
AirVisual
- Outdoor readings depend on nearby government or crowdsourced monitors, so accuracy varies with local coverage
- Indoor measurement needs an IQAir AirVisual monitor bought separately
- The app pages do not state what, if anything, costs money
Carrot Weather
- Most advanced weather data sources (AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Aeris Weather, Netatmo personal stations) and map layers (lightning, alerts, wind, humidity, dew point, snow depth) are locked behind paid Premium/Ultrapremium Club subscriptions, not included in the base app
- Background Apple Watch updates for premium data sources require an active subscription
- Pricing for named tiers (Premium Club, Premium Ultra, Premium Family) is disclosed only via in-app purchase screens rather than a public pricing page with fixed dollar figures
- Mac App Store listing shows a separate $14.99 one-time purchase price for macOS, a different pricing model than the free-to-download iOS/Android version
Pricing, plan by plan
AirVisual
Free- FreeFree
- Global AQI data
- Forecasts
- Health tips
- Pro$4.99/month
- Ad-free
- Historical data
- Widgets
Carrot Weather
Free- Premium Club$undefined/mo
- Additional data sources and map layers
- Ultrapremium Club$undefined/mo
- Full data sources, map layers, notifications
- Premium Family$undefined/mo
- Shares Premium/Ultrapremium across up to 5 family members
Which should you pick?
Choose AirVisual if
- You need global aqi coverage.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want 3-day forecasts.
Choose Carrot Weather if
- You need personality modes.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, macOS.
- You also want multiple data sources.
Questions people ask
- Is AirVisual or Carrot Weather better?
- Neither clearly leads. AirVisual starts at Free and Carrot Weather at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AirVisual or Carrot Weather?
- AirVisual starts at Free and Carrot Weather at Free.
- Does AirVisual or Carrot Weather run on more platforms?
- AirVisual runs on Ios, Android, Web. Carrot Weather runs on iOS, Android, macOS.
- Can I use AirVisual for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is AirVisual best used for?
- AirVisual is most often used for checking local air quality and pm2.5 levels, seven day air quality forecasts, health guidance based on current pollution, comparing indoor and outdoor air with an iqair monitor. Of those, checking local air quality and pm2.5 levels and seven day air quality forecasts are not what Carrot Weather is typically brought in for.
- What can AirVisual do that Carrot Weather cannot?
- AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, 3-day forecasts, Health recommendations, City rankings. Carrot Weather covers Personality modes, Multiple data sources, Custom layouts, Secret locations. Both handle Widgets, Apple Watch, Ios support.