Is IQAir or Yr.no better?

Neither clearly leads. IQAir starts at $399/one-time and Yr.no at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, IQAir or Yr.no?

Yr.no has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $399/one-time for IQAir and Free for Yr.no.

Does IQAir or Yr.no run on more platforms?

IQAir runs on Web, iOS, Android, Hardware. Yr.no runs on Web, iOS, Android.

Can I use Yr.no for free?

Yes. Yr.no has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IQAir starts at $399/one-time.

What is IQAir best used for?

IQAir is most often used for checking real-time outdoor and indoor air quality (aqi, pm2.5, etc.) via the airvisual app, getting air quality forecasts for a location, remotely monitoring and controlling iqair air purifiers from a smartphone, integrating air quality/weather data into third-party apps via the airvisual api. Of those, checking real-time outdoor and indoor air quality (aqi, pm2.5, etc.) via the airvisual app and getting air quality forecasts for a location are not what Yr.no is typically brought in for.

What can IQAir do that Yr.no cannot?

IQAir covers Global AQI data, City rankings, Health recommendations, Forecasts. Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts, Long-term predictions, Precipitation graphs, Wind data. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Weather · head to head

IQAir vs Yr.no

IQAir

Weather

Global air quality information and purification

From: $399/one-time
Rated: -

Full review Website

Yr.no

Weather

Norway's trusted free weather service for the world

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only Yr.no has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: IQAir extremely expensive compared to competitors with similar particle filtration performance; 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: IQAir covers Global AQI data, Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where IQAir and Yr.no differ
Attribute	IQAir	Yr.no
Starting price	$399/one-time	Free
Pricing model	Unknown	free
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, Hardware	Web, iOS, Android
Founded	1963	2007

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 IQAir

Global AQI data
City rankings
Health recommendations
Forecasts
Historical data
API access
Mobile apps
Smart home

Only in Yr.no

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

Both cover

Web support
Ios support
Android support

What people use each for

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

IQAir

Checking real-time outdoor and indoor air quality (AQI, PM2.5, etc.) via the AirVisual appnot Yr.no
Getting air quality forecasts for a locationnot Yr.no
Remotely monitoring and controlling IQAir air purifiers from a smartphonenot Yr.no
Integrating air quality/weather data into third-party apps via the AirVisual APInot Yr.no
Tracking global air pollution using monitoring station datanot Yr.no

Yr.no

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

Where each one falls short

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

IQAir

Extremely expensive compared to competitors with similar particle filtration performance
Energy inefficient motors consume 215W at comparable CFM to cheaper models
Limited sensor specificity for users with specific allergies or respiratory concerns
Bulky design and outdated appearance unsuitable for modern interior design
Replacement filters are very expensive at $199.99 with high ongoing costs

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

IQAir

$399/one-time

Atem Desk$399/one-time
- Portable desktop air purifier
- Small room coverage
Atem Eco$799.99/one-time
- Smart air purification
- Most affordable smart model
- Released June 2026
Atem X$1399/one-time
- Premium smart purifier
- Large room coverage
- Advanced filtration
HealthPro Plus$949/one-time
- Medical-grade HyperHEPA filtration
- Large room coverage
- Gas and particle filtration

Yr.no

Free

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

Which should you pick?

Choose IQAir if

You need global aqi data.
You work on Web, iOS, Android, Hardware.
You also want city rankings.

IQAir 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 IQAir or Yr.no better?: Neither clearly leads. IQAir starts at $399/one-time and Yr.no at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IQAir or Yr.no?: Yr.no has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $399/one-time for IQAir and Free for Yr.no.
Does IQAir or Yr.no run on more platforms?: IQAir runs on Web, iOS, Android, Hardware. Yr.no runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Yr.no for free?: Yes. Yr.no has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IQAir starts at $399/one-time.
What is IQAir best used for?: IQAir is most often used for checking real-time outdoor and indoor air quality (aqi, pm2.5, etc.) via the airvisual app, getting air quality forecasts for a location, remotely monitoring and controlling iqair air purifiers from a smartphone, integrating air quality/weather data into third-party apps via the airvisual api. Of those, checking real-time outdoor and indoor air quality (aqi, pm2.5, etc.) via the airvisual app and getting air quality forecasts for a location are not what Yr.no is typically brought in for.
What can IQAir do that Yr.no cannot?: IQAir covers Global AQI data, City rankings, Health recommendations, Forecasts. Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts, Long-term predictions, Precipitation graphs, Wind data. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IQAir: What does IQAir do?

IQAir is a Swiss company providing two main services: air purification hardware (home and commercial air purifiers and filters) and air quality monitoring (real-time global air quality data from 80,000+ sensors worldwide, accessible via the AirVisual app and IQAir.com).

Source

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

IQAir: How much do IQAir air purifiers cost?

IQAir air purifiers range from $399 for portable Atem models to $949 for the HealthPro Plus. The new Atem Eco model is $799.99. Replacement filters cost $199.99 and last 1-4 years depending on usage.

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

IQAir: What real-time air quality data does IQAir provide?

IQAir provides real-time air quality data covering 500,000+ locations in 100+ countries, integrating data from government monitoring stations and 80,000+ IQAir-validated sensors. The platform measures PM2.5, PM10, and AQI for each location.

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

IQAir: Does IQAir have a mobile app?

Yes. IQAir's AirVisual app is available on iOS and Android, providing real-time air quality information, AQI rankings, health recommendations, and remote control of IQAir smart air purifiers.

Source

IQAir: Is IQAir affordable compared to other air purifiers?

No. IQAir air purifiers are significantly more expensive than alternatives. The HealthPro Plus at $900 offers similar particle filtering to the Winix 5500-2 at $300. Higher cost is primarily due to superior gas filtration but poor overall value for most users.

Source

IQAir vs Yr.no

IQAir

Yr.no

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in IQAir

Only in Yr.no

Both cover

What people use each for

IQAir

Yr.no

Where each one falls short

IQAir

Yr.no

Pricing, plan by plan

IQAir

Yr.no

Which should you pick?

Choose IQAir if

Choose Yr.no if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on IQAir

More on Yr.no

Keep looking

Other head to heads