Weather & Environment · head to head
AirVisual vs Weatherstack
AirVisual
Weather & Environment
World's largest air quality information platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Weatherstack
Weather & Environment
Real-time weather API trusted by thousands
- 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; Weatherstack the free tier allows 100 API calls a month, which is a demo rather than a usable allowance
- They diverge on capability: AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, Weatherstack covers Real-time weather.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AirVisual and Weatherstack actually diverge.
| Attribute | AirVisual | Weatherstack |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Ios, Android, Web | Api |
| Category | Weather & Environment | Unknown |
| Founded | 2015 | 2016 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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
- Widgets
- Apple Watch
- Smart displays
- Ios support
Only in Weatherstack
- Real-time weather
- Forecasts
- Location lookup
- Bulk queries
- REST API
- JSON responses
- HTTPS
- Api support
Both cover
- Historical data
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 Weatherstack
- Seven day air quality forecastsnot Weatherstack
- Health guidance based on current pollutionnot Weatherstack
- Comparing indoor and outdoor air with an IQAir monitornot Weatherstack
Weatherstack
- Current weather lookups by location in an applicationnot AirVisual
- Historical weather data for analysis on the paid tiersnot AirVisual
- Short and medium range forecastsnot AirVisual
- Bulk location queries on the higher plansnot 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
Weatherstack
- The free tier allows 100 API calls a month, which is a demo rather than a usable allowance
- Historical weather data starts at the Standard plan, $9.99 a month for 50,000 calls
- Forecasting is tiered: 7 days from Professional at $49.99 a month and 14 days from Business at $99.99
- Multi-language responses and bulk queries need Professional or above
- Going past the monthly quota incurs overage charges rather than throttling
Pricing, plan by plan
AirVisual
Free- FreeFree
- Global AQI data
- Forecasts
- Health tips
- Pro$4.99/month
- Ad-free
- Historical data
- Widgets
Weatherstack
Free- FreeFree
- 250 calls/month
- Current weather
- Basic data
- Standard$9.99/month
- 50,000 calls/month
- Forecasts
- Historical
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 Weatherstack if
- You need real-time weather.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Api.
- You also want forecasts.
Questions people ask
- Is AirVisual or Weatherstack better?
- Neither clearly leads. AirVisual starts at Free and Weatherstack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AirVisual or Weatherstack?
- AirVisual starts at Free and Weatherstack at Free.
- Does AirVisual or Weatherstack run on more platforms?
- AirVisual runs on Ios, Android, Web. Weatherstack runs on Api.
- 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 Weatherstack is typically brought in for.
- What can AirVisual do that Weatherstack cannot?
- AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, 3-day forecasts, Health recommendations, City rankings. Weatherstack covers Real-time weather, Forecasts, Location lookup, Bulk queries. Both handle Historical data.