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Weather & Environment · head to head

Apple Weather (Dark Sky) vs WSI (The Weather Company)

Apple Weather (Dark Sky) logo

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Weather & Environment

Hyperlocal precipitation forecasts built into iOS

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WSI (The Weather Company) logo

WSI (The Weather Company)

Weather & Environment

Professional weather solutions for business operations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple Weather (Dark Sky) dark Sky as a standalone app and API no longer exists, it was removed from the App Store and its API shut down; Dark Sky's technology now only exists folded into the built-in Apple Weather app, so any 'Dark Sky' branded product/API can no longer be evaluated or purchased; WSI (The Weather Company) the Weather Company (which acquired WSI) states on its own site that it no longer owns The Weather Channel TV network, a separate entity from its data/API business (Internet Archive capture, 6 May 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and WSI (The Weather Company) actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and WSI (The Weather Company) differ
AttributeApple Weather (Dark Sky)WSI (The Weather Company)
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, macOSWeb, Api, Enterprise
Founded20111978

Identical on both: 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 Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

  • Minute-by-minute precipitation
  • Next-hour forecasts
  • Severe weather alerts
  • Air quality
  • UV index
  • iOS widgets
  • Siri
  • Apple Watch

Only in WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Aviation weather
  • Energy forecasting
  • Media solutions
  • Insurance analytics
  • Precision forecasts
  • Enterprise systems
  • Aviation networks
  • Trading platforms

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

  • Checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iPhone/iPad/Mac/Apple Watchnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 daysnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Viewing high-resolution precipitation radar mapsnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Receiving severe weather notificationsnot WSI (The Weather Company)

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Professional Worknot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)
  • Content Creationnot Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

  • Dark Sky as a standalone app and API no longer exists, it was removed from the App Store and its API shut down; Dark Sky's technology now only exists folded into the built-in Apple Weather app, so any 'Dark Sky' branded product/API can no longer be evaluated or purchased
  • Apple Weather has no public pricing/API tier of its own comparable to the old Dark Sky API, developers must use Apple's separate WeatherKit product instead
  • Apple Weather (the consumer app) is limited to Apple's own platforms; it is not available on Android or Windows

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • The Weather Company (which acquired WSI) states on its own site that it no longer owns The Weather Channel TV network, a separate entity from its data/API business (Internet Archive capture, 6 May 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Weather (Dark Sky)

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full weather features
    • Minute-by-minute rain
    • Severe alerts

WSI (The Weather Company)

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Industry solutions
    • API access
    • Custom analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Weather (Dark Sky) if

  • You need minute-by-minute precipitation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want next-hour forecasts.
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) review

Choose WSI (The Weather Company) if

  • You need aviation weather.
  • You work on Web, Api, Enterprise.
  • You also want energy forecasting.
WSI (The Weather Company) review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or WSI (The Weather Company) better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) starts at Free and WSI (The Weather Company) at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or WSI (The Weather Company)?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple Weather (Dark Sky) and On request for WSI (The Weather Company).
Does Apple Weather (Dark Sky) or WSI (The Weather Company) run on more platforms?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) runs on iOS, macOS. WSI (The Weather Company) runs on Web, Api, Enterprise.
Can I use Apple Weather (Dark Sky) for free?
Yes. Apple Weather (Dark Sky) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. WSI (The Weather Company) starts at On request.
What is Apple Weather (Dark Sky) best used for?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) is most often used for checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iphone/ipad/mac/apple watch, viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 days, viewing high-resolution precipitation radar maps, receiving severe weather notifications. Of those, checking hyperlocal current conditions and next-hour precipitation forecasts on iphone/ipad/mac/apple watch and viewing hourly forecasts for the next 10 days are not what WSI (The Weather Company) is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Weather (Dark Sky) do that WSI (The Weather Company) cannot?
Apple Weather (Dark Sky) covers Minute-by-minute precipitation, Next-hour forecasts, Severe weather alerts, Air quality. WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather, Energy forecasting, Media solutions, Insurance analytics.
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