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EPA AirNow vs Planet Labs

EPA AirNow logo

EPA AirNow

Weather

Official U.S. government air quality information

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Planet Labs logo

Planet Labs

Weather

Daily satellite imagery for environmental monitoring

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only EPA AirNow has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: EPA AirNow air quality data availability depends on nearby monitoring stations, can show no data found near a location when no monitor is close enough; 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: EPA AirNow covers Official AQI data, Planet Labs covers Daily satellite imagery.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EPA AirNow and Planet Labs actually diverge.

Attributes where EPA AirNow and Planet Labs differ
AttributeEPA AirNowPlanet Labs
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, Api
Founded19702010

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

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 EPA AirNow

  • Official AQI data
  • Air quality forecasts
  • Fire & smoke data
  • Health recommendations
  • Data feeds
  • Widgets
  • API

Only in Planet Labs

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

Both cover

  • API access
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

EPA AirNow

  • Checking current Air Quality Index (AQI) for a location or any searched areanot Planet Labs
  • Viewing next-day AQI forecasts to plan outdoor activitiesnot Planet Labs
  • Monitoring wildfire smoke via the Fire and Smoke Map (built with the U.S. Forest Service)not Planet Labs
  • Saving multiple locations for quick referencenot Planet Labs
  • Receiving optional push notifications for local AQI forecastsnot Planet Labs

Planet Labs

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

Where each one falls short

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

EPA AirNow

  • Air quality data availability depends on nearby monitoring stations, can show no data found near a location when no monitor is close enough
  • Interactive monitor map (PM2.5, PM10, ozone) coverage documented on the primary source is U.S.-focused
  • As a government-run service it offers no paid tiers, proprietary data sources, or customization options found in commercial weather/air-quality apps

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

EPA AirNow

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the EPA AirNow review.

Planet Labs

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

Which should you pick?

Choose EPA AirNow if

  • You need official aqi data.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want air quality forecasts.
EPA AirNow 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 EPA AirNow or Planet Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. EPA AirNow 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, EPA AirNow or Planet Labs?
EPA AirNow has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EPA AirNow and On request for Planet Labs.
Does EPA AirNow or Planet Labs run on more platforms?
EPA AirNow runs on iOS, Android, Web. Planet Labs runs on Web, Api.
Can I use EPA AirNow for free?
Yes. EPA AirNow has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Planet Labs starts at On request.
What is EPA AirNow best used for?
EPA AirNow is most often used for checking current air quality index (aqi) for a location or any searched area, viewing next-day aqi forecasts to plan outdoor activities, monitoring wildfire smoke via the fire and smoke map (built with the u.s. forest service), saving multiple locations for quick reference. Of those, checking current air quality index (aqi) for a location or any searched area and viewing next-day aqi forecasts to plan outdoor activities are not what Planet Labs is typically brought in for.
What can EPA AirNow do that Planet Labs cannot?
EPA AirNow covers Official AQI data, Air quality forecasts, Fire & smoke data, Health recommendations. Planet Labs covers Daily satellite imagery, Change detection, Agriculture monitoring, Forest tracking. Both handle API access, Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

EPA AirNow: Is AirNow.gov free to use?

Yes. AirNow.gov is a free service operated by the EPA and its partners that provides air quality data, forecasts, maps, and educational resources at no cost to users.

Source
Planet Labs: How can I access Planet Labs satellite imagery pricing?

Planet Labs offers flexible and transparent pricing but does not publish rates on their public website. Visit planet.com/pricing/, contact their sales team via the Contact Sales link, or log into the Planet Insights Platform to view pricing.

Source
EPA AirNow: Are there any subscription costs or fees associated with AirNow.gov?

No. AirNow.gov offers all services, data access, and tools completely free. There are no subscription tiers, fees, or payment options of any kind.

Source
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