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Foreca vs Weather Underground

Foreca logo

Foreca

Weather

Finnish precision weather data for digital services

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weather Underground logo

Weather Underground

Weather

Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Foreca free version includes advertisements (only removable via paid subscription); Weather Underground free public API discontinued as of December 31, 2018 with no new developer accounts accepted
  • They diverge on capability: Foreca covers Global forecasts, Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Foreca and Weather Underground actually diverge.

Attributes where Foreca and Weather Underground differ
AttributeForecaWeather Underground
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsiOS, macOSWeb, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network
Founded19962003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Foreca

  • Global forecasts
  • Automotive weather
  • Mobile SDK
  • White-label apps
  • Marine weather
  • Mobile platforms
  • Automotive systems
  • Digital services

Only in Weather Underground

  • Personal weather stations
  • Hyperlocal data
  • Historical records
  • Webcams
  • Community forums
  • PWS networks
  • Smart home
  • APIs

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Foreca

  • Checking hourly/daily forecasts and animated weather/radar mapsnot Weather Underground
  • Receiving government weather alerts and rain notificationsnot Weather Underground
  • Tracking air quality index and UV levelsnot Weather Underground
  • Monitoring multiple saved locationsnot Weather Underground
  • Apple Watch complications and home-screen widgets for at-a-glance weathernot Weather Underground

Weather Underground

  • Professional Worknot Foreca
  • Content Creationnot Foreca

Where each one falls short

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

Foreca

  • Free version includes advertisements (only removable via paid subscription)
  • Requires relatively recent OS versions on Apple platforms (iOS 16.4+/macOS 13.0+) per App Store listing
  • Only paid differentiator is ad removal, no deeper feature tier beyond that

Weather Underground

  • Free public API discontinued as of December 31, 2018 with no new developer accounts accepted
  • Previous enterprise pricing was expensive at $150/month for Cumulus Drizzle plan
  • No longer competitive for developers needing reliable weather API access
  • Service is in wind-down phase with limited future development

Pricing, plan by plan

Foreca

Free
  • Ad-free (3 months)$1.59/3 months
  • Ad-free (1 year)$4.99/year

Weather Underground

Free
  • FreeFree
    • PWS data access
    • Forecasts
    • Historical data
  • Ad-Free$1.99/month
    • No advertisements
    • Premium features

Which should you pick?

Choose Foreca if

  • You need global forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want automotive weather.
Foreca review

Choose Weather Underground if

  • You need personal weather stations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network.
  • You also want hyperlocal data.
Weather Underground review

Questions people ask

Is Foreca or Weather Underground better?
Neither clearly leads. Foreca starts at Free and Weather Underground at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Foreca or Weather Underground?
Foreca starts at Free and Weather Underground at Free.
Does Foreca or Weather Underground run on more platforms?
Foreca runs on iOS, macOS. Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network.
Can I use Foreca for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Foreca best used for?
Foreca is most often used for checking hourly/daily forecasts and animated weather/radar maps, receiving government weather alerts and rain notifications, tracking air quality index and uv levels, monitoring multiple saved locations. Of those, checking hourly/daily forecasts and animated weather/radar maps and receiving government weather alerts and rain notifications are not what Weather Underground is typically brought in for.
What can Foreca do that Weather Underground cannot?
Foreca covers Global forecasts, Automotive weather, Mobile SDK, White-label apps. Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Weather Underground: What happened to the Weather Underground API?

The free public API was discontinued on December 31, 2018, after IBM acquired The Weather Company. The service is now in a wind-down phase with no new developer accounts accepted.

Source
Weather Underground: Can I still use Weather Underground's data?

Free API keys are still available for Personal Weather Station (PWS) owners who upload data to the network. General developers need to migrate to alternative weather API providers.

Source
Weather Underground: What was the pricing for Weather Underground's Cumulus plans?

The Cumulus Drizzle plan cost $150/month, which many developers found prohibitively expensive for weather data compared to modern alternatives.

Source
Weather Underground: Does Weather Underground still offer a consumer-facing service?

Yes. The consumer website continues to provide weather forecasts, news, alerts, and access to personal weather station data through the PWS network.

Source
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