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Weather · head to head

Foreca vs Yr.no

Foreca logo

Foreca

Weather

Finnish precision weather data for digital services

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yr.no logo

Yr.no

Weather

Norway's trusted free weather service for the world

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Foreca free version includes advertisements (only removable via paid subscription); Yr.no full API/data usage requires attribution to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK per their terms, not a no-strings-attached free service
  • They diverge on capability: Foreca covers Global forecasts, Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Foreca and Yr.no actually diverge.

Attributes where Foreca and Yr.no differ
AttributeForecaYr.no
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsiOS, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19962007

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 Yr.no

  • Hourly forecasts
  • Long-term predictions
  • Precipitation graphs
  • Wind data
  • Aurora forecasts
  • Open API
  • Widgets
  • Smart displays

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 Yr.no
  • Receiving government weather alerts and rain notificationsnot Yr.no
  • Tracking air quality index and UV levelsnot Yr.no
  • Monitoring multiple saved locationsnot Yr.no
  • Apple Watch complications and home-screen widgets for at-a-glance weathernot Yr.no

Yr.no

  • Checking day-by-day and hour-by-hour weather forecasts with graph detailsnot Foreca
  • Now-cast alerts for rainfall expected within the next 90 minutesnot Foreca
  • Viewing UV forecasts, pollen spread, and air pollution overviewsnot Foreca
  • Embedding free weather widgets/modules on third-party websitesnot Foreca
  • Building weather features into apps via Yr's free REST APIs (forecasts, alerts, radar, ocean data)not 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

Yr.no

  • Full API/data usage requires attribution to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK per their terms, not a no-strings-attached free service
  • Product and documentation are heavily Norway/Nordic-centric in framing even though forecasts cover any location on earth
  • No paid/pro consumer tier is published, monetization/support model beyond the free service is unclear from primary sources

Pricing, plan by plan

Foreca

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

Yr.no

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full weather data
    • Hourly forecasts
    • Long-term outlook

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 Yr.no if

  • You need hourly forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want long-term predictions.
Yr.no review

Questions people ask

Is Foreca or Yr.no better?
Neither clearly leads. Foreca starts at Free and Yr.no at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Foreca or Yr.no?
Foreca starts at Free and Yr.no at Free.
Does Foreca or Yr.no run on more platforms?
Foreca runs on iOS, macOS. Yr.no runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Yr.no is typically brought in for.
What can Foreca do that Yr.no cannot?
Foreca covers Global forecasts, Automotive weather, Mobile SDK, White-label apps. Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts, Long-term predictions, Precipitation graphs, Wind data. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Yr.no: Is Yr.no free to use?

Yes, Yr.no is a free weather forecasting service. It is a collaboration between NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

Source
Yr.no: Does Yr.no require registration or payment to access weather forecasts?

The website does not mention any registration requirements, subscription tiers, or payment obligations. Access to weather information appears to be free without account creation.

Source
Yr.no: Who funds and maintains Yr.no if it is free?

Yr.no is maintained as a public service collaboration between NRK (Norwegian public broadcasting) and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute, both government-supported organizations.

Source
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