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Weather · head to head

OpenWeatherMap vs Visual Crossing Weather

OpenWeatherMap logo

OpenWeatherMap

Weather

Developer-friendly weather API with global coverage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Crossing Weather logo

Visual Crossing Weather

Weather

Historical and forecast weather data for any location

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenWeatherMap free tier capped at 60 calls/minute and 1,000,000 calls/month; Visual Crossing Weather sub hourly weather history, solar and wind energy elements, soil and evapotranspiration data and degree day calculations are excluded from the Professional plan
  • They diverge on capability: OpenWeatherMap covers Weather API, Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenWeatherMap and Visual Crossing Weather actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenWeatherMap and Visual Crossing Weather differ
AttributeOpenWeatherMapVisual Crossing Weather
PlatformsWebApi, Web
Founded20172003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 OpenWeatherMap

  • Weather API
  • Current conditions
  • Forecasts
  • Historical data
  • Weather maps
  • JSON format
  • Widgets

Only in Visual Crossing Weather

  • Historical weather
  • 15-day forecasts
  • Weather query builder
  • Bulk downloads
  • API access
  • Excel add-in
  • Python library

Both cover

  • REST API
  • Api support
  • Web support

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 Visual Crossing Weather
  • Pulling historical and statistical weather data for researchnot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Displaying weather map overlays (precipitation, clouds, etc.) via the Weather Maps APInot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Monitoring air pollution levels via the Air Pollution APInot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Geocoding locations for weather lookupsnot Visual Crossing Weather

Visual Crossing Weather

  • Pulling historical weather records for analysis and modellingnot OpenWeatherMap
  • Adding forecast data to applications through a weather APInot OpenWeatherMap
  • Weather driven analytics for energy, agriculture and logisticsnot 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

Visual Crossing Weather

  • Sub hourly weather history, solar and wind energy elements, soil and evapotranspiration data and degree day calculations are excluded from the Professional plan
  • Removing the attribution requirement needs the Corporate plan or above
  • Usage is metered in records rather than API calls, and the metered plan requires a cost calculator to work out the bill
  • Per record rates are not stated on the editions page
  • Enterprise terms are custom rather than published

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenWeatherMap

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 free API calls per day

Visual Crossing Weather

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 records/day
    • 15-day forecast
    • Historical data
  • Professional$35/month
    • 10,000 records/day
    • Full API
    • Support

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenWeatherMap if

  • You need weather api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want current conditions.
OpenWeatherMap review

Choose Visual Crossing Weather if

  • You need historical weather.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api, Web.
  • You also want 15-day forecasts.
Visual Crossing Weather review

Questions people ask

Is OpenWeatherMap or Visual Crossing Weather better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenWeatherMap starts at Free and Visual Crossing Weather at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenWeatherMap or Visual Crossing Weather?
OpenWeatherMap starts at Free and Visual Crossing Weather at Free.
Does OpenWeatherMap or Visual Crossing Weather run on more platforms?
OpenWeatherMap runs on Web. Visual Crossing Weather runs on Api, Web.
Can I use OpenWeatherMap for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Visual Crossing Weather is typically brought in for.
What can OpenWeatherMap do that Visual Crossing Weather cannot?
OpenWeatherMap covers Weather API, Current conditions, Forecasts, Historical data. Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather, 15-day forecasts, Weather query builder, Bulk downloads. Both handle REST API, Api support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenWeatherMap: How much does OpenWeatherMap cost?

OpenWeatherMap operates on a pay-as-you-call usage-based pricing model. The platform offers a free tier with 1,000 API calls per day, and customers can purchase additional calls based on their needs.

Source
Visual Crossing Weather: Does Visual Crossing offer free weather data?

Yes, the first 1,000 daily records are free and include both historical and forecast data for commercial use.

Source
OpenWeatherMap: Is there a free weather API service?

Yes. OpenWeatherMap provides a free tier that includes up to 1,000 API calls per day. Users can subscribe for free at home.openweathermap.org without providing payment information.

Source
Visual Crossing Weather: Can I use Visual Crossing weather data for commercial purposes?

Yes, all Visual Crossing subscription tiers include commercial use rights.

Source
OpenWeatherMap: Does OpenWeatherMap offer enterprise plans?

OpenWeatherMap offers separate service tiers for enterprise customers, with pricing and features determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact the company directly for enterprise plan details and custom pricing.

Source
Visual Crossing Weather: What is the difference between the Metered and Corporate plans on Visual Crossing?

The Metered plan charges pay-as-you-go for unlimited records with 5 locations per query. The Corporate plan has unlimited records with fair use policy, 1,000 locations per query, advanced features like solar and wind energy, and premium support included.

Source
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