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Weather · head to head

Visual Crossing Weather vs Weather Underground PWS

Visual Crossing Weather logo

Visual Crossing Weather

Weather

Historical and forecast weather data for any location

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weather Underground PWS logo

Weather Underground PWS

Weather

World's largest personal weather station network

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Weather Underground PWS personal weather station network relies on community contributions
  • They diverge on capability: Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather, Weather Underground PWS covers Station network.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Visual Crossing Weather and Weather Underground PWS differ
AttributeVisual Crossing WeatherWeather Underground PWS
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsApi, WebWeb, Mobile
Founded20031995

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Visual Crossing Weather

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

Only in Weather Underground PWS

  • Station network
  • Real-time upload
  • Historical data
  • Quality control
  • Community rankings
  • PWS devices
  • Data APIs
  • Weather apps

Both cover

  • Api support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Visual Crossing Weather

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

Weather Underground PWS

  • Community-sourced weather station networknot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Personal weather monitoring and forecastingnot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Historical weather data accessnot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Severe weather alerts and notificationsnot Visual Crossing Weather

Where each one falls short

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

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

Weather Underground PWS

  • Personal weather station network relies on community contributions
  • Data accuracy varies by station quality

Pricing, plan by plan

Visual Crossing Weather

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

Weather Underground PWS

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Station registration
    • Data upload
    • Dashboard

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Weather Underground PWS if

  • You need station network.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want real-time upload.
Weather Underground PWS review

Questions people ask

Is Visual Crossing Weather or Weather Underground PWS better?
Neither clearly leads. Visual Crossing Weather starts at Free and Weather Underground PWS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Visual Crossing Weather or Weather Underground PWS?
Visual Crossing Weather starts at Free and Weather Underground PWS at Free.
Does Visual Crossing Weather or Weather Underground PWS run on more platforms?
Visual Crossing Weather runs on Api, Web. Weather Underground PWS runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Visual Crossing Weather for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Visual Crossing Weather best used for?
Visual Crossing Weather is most often used for pulling historical weather records for analysis and modelling, adding forecast data to applications through a weather api, weather driven analytics for energy, agriculture and logistics. Of those, pulling historical weather records for analysis and modelling and adding forecast data to applications through a weather api are not what Weather Underground PWS is typically brought in for.
What can Visual Crossing Weather do that Weather Underground PWS cannot?
Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather, 15-day forecasts, Weather query builder, Bulk downloads. Weather Underground PWS covers Station network, Real-time upload, Historical data, Quality control. Both handle Api support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Weather Underground PWS: Is there a cost to join the Weather Underground Personal Weather Station network?

No cost is disclosed for joining the Weather Underground PWS network. The site encourages users to join and contribute weather data.

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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