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AirVisual vs Planet Labs

AirVisual logo

AirVisual

Software

World's largest air quality information platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Planet Labs logo

Planet Labs

Software

Daily satellite imagery for environmental monitoring

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AirVisual has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AirVisual outdoor readings depend on nearby government or crowdsourced monitors, so accuracy varies with local coverage; Planet Labs planet publishes no price for its monitoring subscriptions: no rate per square kilometre, no minimum area and no commitment length appears on the product page
  • They diverge on capability: AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, Planet Labs covers Daily satellite imagery.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AirVisual and Planet Labs actually diverge.

Attributes where AirVisual and Planet Labs differ
AttributeAirVisualPlanet Labs
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, Api
Founded20152010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • Widgets
  • Apple Watch
  • Smart displays

Only in Planet Labs

  • Daily satellite imagery
  • Change detection
  • Agriculture monitoring
  • Forest tracking
  • Climate data
  • API access
  • GIS platforms
  • Cloud services

Both cover

  • Web 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 Planet Labs
  • Seven day air quality forecastsnot Planet Labs
  • Health guidance based on current pollutionnot Planet Labs
  • Comparing indoor and outdoor air with an IQAir monitornot Planet Labs

Planet Labs

  • Daily satellite imagery monitoring of a defined area of interestnot AirVisual
  • Detecting change in land use, agriculture and infrastructure over timenot AirVisual
  • Feeding satellite imagery into analytics and machine learning pipelinesnot 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

Planet Labs

  • Planet publishes no price for its monitoring subscriptions: no rate per square kilometre, no minimum area and no commitment length appears on the product page
  • Access is sold only through a subscription scaled by sales to the customer's stated needs, so there is no self service purchase
  • Every pricing route on the page is a contact sales button

Pricing, plan by plan

AirVisual

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Global AQI data
    • Forecasts
    • Health tips
  • Pro$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Historical data
    • Widgets

Planet Labs

On request
  • ExplorerFree
    • Limited imagery
    • Basic tools
    • Entry tier
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full archive
    • API access
    • Custom analytics

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.
AirVisual review

Choose Planet Labs if

  • You need daily satellite imagery.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want change detection.
Planet Labs review

Questions people ask

Is AirVisual or Planet Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. AirVisual starts at Free and Planet Labs at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AirVisual or Planet Labs?
AirVisual has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AirVisual and On request for Planet Labs.
Does AirVisual or Planet Labs run on more platforms?
AirVisual runs on Ios, Android, Web. Planet Labs runs on Web, Api.
Can I use AirVisual for free?
Yes. AirVisual has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Planet Labs starts at On request.
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 Planet Labs is typically brought in for.
What can AirVisual do that Planet Labs cannot?
AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, 3-day forecasts, Health recommendations, City rankings. Planet Labs covers Daily satellite imagery, Change detection, Agriculture monitoring, Forest tracking. Both handle Web support.
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