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Weather · head to head

Plume Labs vs Visual Crossing Weather

Plume Labs logo

Plume Labs

Weather

Personal air quality tracking and forecasting

From
$179/one-time
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

  • Only Visual Crossing Weather has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Plume Labs plume Labs states on its own site that the Flow and Flow 2 hardware are no longer available for purchase, while the Plume Labs App and the Plume API continue to operate; 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: Plume Labs covers Personal air sensor, 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 Plume Labs and Visual Crossing Weather actually diverge.

Attributes where Plume Labs and Visual Crossing Weather differ
AttributePlume LabsVisual Crossing Weather
Starting price$179/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Android, HardwareApi, Web
Founded20142003

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 Plume Labs

  • Personal air sensor
  • Real-time tracking
  • Exposure insights
  • Route suggestions
  • Health tips
  • Mobile app
  • Fitness trackers
  • Smart home

Only in Visual Crossing Weather

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

What people use each for

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

Plume Labs

  • Professional Worknot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Content Creationnot Visual Crossing Weather

Visual Crossing Weather

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

Where each one falls short

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

Plume Labs

  • Plume Labs states on its own site that the Flow and Flow 2 hardware are no longer available for purchase, while the Plume Labs App and the Plume API continue to operate

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

Plume Labs

$179/one-time
  • Flow 2$179/one-time
    • Personal sensor
    • Real-time tracking
    • App access

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 Plume Labs if

  • You need personal air sensor.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Hardware.
  • You also want real-time tracking.
Plume Labs 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 Plume Labs or Visual Crossing Weather better?
Neither clearly leads. Plume Labs starts at $179/one-time and Visual Crossing Weather at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Plume Labs or Visual Crossing Weather?
Visual Crossing Weather has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $179/one-time for Plume Labs and Free for Visual Crossing Weather.
Does Plume Labs or Visual Crossing Weather run on more platforms?
Plume Labs runs on Ios, Android, Hardware. Visual Crossing Weather runs on Api, Web.
Can I use Visual Crossing Weather for free?
Yes. Visual Crossing Weather has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Plume Labs starts at $179/one-time.
What is Plume Labs best used for?
Plume Labs is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what Visual Crossing Weather is typically brought in for.
What can Plume Labs do that Visual Crossing Weather cannot?
Plume Labs covers Personal air sensor, Real-time tracking, Exposure insights, Route suggestions. Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather, 15-day forecasts, Weather query builder, Bulk downloads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plume Labs: Is the Flow 2 air quality sensor still available for purchase?

No. Plume Labs discontinued the Flow 2 hardware in Spring 2023. It is no longer for sale.

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
Plume Labs: What air quality products does Plume Labs currently offer?

Plume Labs now offers the Plume Labs App for air quality forecasts and the Plume API for business data solutions. Specific pricing for these services is not disclosed on the website.

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
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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