Software · head to head
OpenWeatherMap vs Awair
OpenWeatherMap
Software
Developer-friendly weather API with global coverage
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Awair
Software
Smart indoor air quality monitor for healthy spaces
- From
- $149/one-time
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only OpenWeatherMap has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: OpenWeatherMap free tier capped at 60 calls/minute and 1,000,000 calls/month; Awair a hardware purchase, with the Element at $299 before any software value
- They diverge on capability: OpenWeatherMap covers Weather API, Awair covers 5-factor monitoring.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which OpenWeatherMap and Awair actually diverge.
| Attribute | OpenWeatherMap | Awair |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $149/one-time |
| Pricing model | Unknown | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web | Ios, Android, Hardware |
| Founded | 2017 | 2013 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 OpenWeatherMap
- Weather API
- Current conditions
- Forecasts
- Historical data
- Weather maps
- REST API
- JSON format
- Widgets
Only in Awair
- 5-factor monitoring
- Awair Score
- Personalized tips
- Historical trends
- Smart displays
- Alexa
- Google Home
- IFTTT
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
OpenWeatherMap
- Embedding current weather and short-term forecasts into third-party apps/websitesnot Awair
- Pulling historical and statistical weather data for researchnot Awair
- Displaying weather map overlays (precipitation, clouds, etc.) via the Weather Maps APInot Awair
- Monitoring air pollution levels via the Air Pollution APInot Awair
- Geocoding locations for weather lookupsnot Awair
Awair
- Indoor air quality monitoring at homenot OpenWeatherMap
- Tracking CO2, humidity, temperature, VOCs and particulatesnot OpenWeatherMap
- Workplace air quality monitoring across a building with Omninot OpenWeatherMap
- Correlating air quality with sleep or productivitynot OpenWeatherMap
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
OpenWeatherMap
- Free tier capped at 60 calls/minute and 1,000,000 calls/month
- Free tier limited to current weather, 3-hour/5-day forecast, air pollution, 15 map layers, and geocoding only
- One Call API free allowance is only 1,000 calls/day before pay-per-call charges apply
- Paid tier (Startup, Developer, Professional, Expert) exact USD prices are not published on the public pricing page
Awair
- A hardware purchase, with the Element at $299 before any software value
- The consumer Element tracks 5 environmental factors against 7 on the business Omni
- Business deployments run on subscriptions, and Omni pricing is not published
Pricing, plan by plan
OpenWeatherMap
Free- FreeFree
- 60 calls/min
- 1,000,000 calls/month
- current weather, 3-hr/5-day forecast, air pollution, 15 map layers, geocoding
Awair
$149/one-time- Element$149/one-time
- 5 air factors
- Smart home integration
- App access
- Omni$299/one-time
- Enterprise features
- API access
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose OpenWeatherMap if
- You need weather api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want current conditions.
Choose Awair if
- You need 5-factor monitoring.
- You work on Ios, Android, Hardware.
- You also want awair score.
Questions people ask
- Is OpenWeatherMap or Awair better?
- Neither clearly leads. OpenWeatherMap starts at Free and Awair at $149/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, OpenWeatherMap or Awair?
- OpenWeatherMap has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenWeatherMap and $149/one-time for Awair.
- Does OpenWeatherMap or Awair run on more platforms?
- OpenWeatherMap runs on Web. Awair runs on Ios, Android, Hardware.
- Can I use OpenWeatherMap for free?
- Yes. OpenWeatherMap has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Awair starts at $149/one-time.
- What is OpenWeatherMap best used for?
- OpenWeatherMap is most often used for embedding current weather and short-term forecasts into third-party apps/websites, pulling historical and statistical weather data for research, displaying weather map overlays (precipitation, clouds, etc.) via the weather maps api, monitoring air pollution levels via the air pollution api. Of those, embedding current weather and short-term forecasts into third-party apps/websites and pulling historical and statistical weather data for research are not what Awair is typically brought in for.
- What can OpenWeatherMap do that Awair cannot?
- OpenWeatherMap covers Weather API, Current conditions, Forecasts, Historical data. Awair covers 5-factor monitoring, Awair Score, Personalized tips, Historical trends.