Softwr

Weather & Environment · head to head

The Weather Channel vs WSI (The Weather Company)

The Weather Channel logo

The Weather Channel

Weather & Environment

America's most trusted weather source with real-time forecasts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WSI (The Weather Company) logo

WSI (The Weather Company)

Weather & Environment

Professional weather solutions for business operations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only The Weather Channel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: The Weather Channel premium radar features are limited to iOS and macOS; not available on Android or other platforms; WSI (The Weather Company) the Weather Company (which acquired WSI) states on its own site that it no longer owns The Weather Channel TV network, a separate entity from its data/API business (Internet Archive capture, 6 May 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: The Weather Channel covers 10-day forecasts, WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which The Weather Channel and WSI (The Weather Company) actually diverge.

Attributes where The Weather Channel and WSI (The Weather Company) differ
AttributeThe Weather ChannelWSI (The Weather Company)
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, RokuWeb, Api, Enterprise
Founded19821978

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather & Environment).

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 The Weather Channel

  • 10-day forecasts
  • Hourly predictions
  • Interactive radar
  • Severe weather alerts
  • Air quality index
  • Smart home devices
  • Connected cars
  • Wearables

Only in WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Aviation weather
  • Energy forecasting
  • Media solutions
  • Insurance analytics
  • Precision forecasts
  • Enterprise systems
  • Aviation networks
  • Trading platforms

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

The Weather Channel

  • Checking daily and 10-day local weather forecastsnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Tracking storms and hurricanes via Storm Radarnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Viewing weather radar mapsnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Getting severe weather alertsnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Accessing weather news and video content on weather.comnot WSI (The Weather Company)

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Professional Worknot The Weather Channel
  • Content Creationnot The Weather Channel

Where each one falls short

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

The Weather Channel

  • Premium radar features are limited to iOS and macOS; not available on Android or other platforms
  • Premium subscription required for advanced radar customization
  • Premium perks tied to partner deals which may change

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • The Weather Company (which acquired WSI) states on its own site that it no longer owns The Weather Channel TV network, a separate entity from its data/API business (Internet Archive capture, 6 May 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

The Weather Channel

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Rain radar and storm tracker
    • Allergy tracker
    • 24-hour future radar
  • Premium$29.99/year
    • All free features
    • Premium perks program (up to USD 187 value)
    • 18Birdies golf app access (30% off plus free week)

WSI (The Weather Company)

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Industry solutions
    • API access
    • Custom analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose The Weather Channel if

  • You need 10-day forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku.
  • You also want hourly predictions.
The Weather Channel review

Choose WSI (The Weather Company) if

  • You need aviation weather.
  • You work on Web, Api, Enterprise.
  • You also want energy forecasting.
WSI (The Weather Company) review

Questions people ask

Is The Weather Channel or WSI (The Weather Company) better?
Neither clearly leads. The Weather Channel starts at Free and WSI (The Weather Company) at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, The Weather Channel or WSI (The Weather Company)?
The Weather Channel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for The Weather Channel and On request for WSI (The Weather Company).
Does The Weather Channel or WSI (The Weather Company) run on more platforms?
The Weather Channel runs on iOS, Android, Web, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku. WSI (The Weather Company) runs on Web, Api, Enterprise.
Can I use The Weather Channel for free?
Yes. The Weather Channel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. WSI (The Weather Company) starts at On request.
What is The Weather Channel best used for?
The Weather Channel is most often used for checking daily and 10-day local weather forecasts, tracking storms and hurricanes via storm radar, viewing weather radar maps, getting severe weather alerts. Of those, checking daily and 10-day local weather forecasts and tracking storms and hurricanes via storm radar are not what WSI (The Weather Company) is typically brought in for.
What can The Weather Channel do that WSI (The Weather Company) cannot?
The Weather Channel covers 10-day forecasts, Hourly predictions, Interactive radar, Severe weather alerts. WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather, Energy forecasting, Media solutions, Insurance analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

The Weather Channel: What is the cost of The Weather Channel Premium?

The Weather Channel Premium subscription costs USD 29.99 annually with a 7-day free trial before the annual charge is applied.

Source
The Weather Channel: What premium features are included?

The Weather Channel Premium includes premium perks program offering up to USD 187 in partner deals, access to 18Birdies golf app (30% off plus free week), and professional-grade customizable radar with high-resolution single-site radar on iOS and macOS devices.

Source
The Weather Channel: What are the free features available?

Free features include rain radar, storm tracker, allergy tracker, 24-hour future radar, storm alerts, Feels Like temperature, hourly and daily forecasts, weather widgets with dark mode support, and air quality monitoring.

The Weather Channel: What devices are supported?

The Weather Channel app is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, and other streaming platforms.

ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on The Weather Channel

More on WSI (The Weather Company)

Keep looking

Other head to heads