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Weather · head to head

Visual Crossing Weather vs Weathernews Inc

Visual Crossing Weather logo

Visual Crossing Weather

Weather

Historical and forecast weather data for any location

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weathernews Inc logo

Weathernews Inc

Weather

Global weather solutions for shipping

From
$600/month
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: 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; Weathernews Inc primarily Japan-based with headquarters in Chiba, may have lower coverage in certain regional markets outside Asia
  • They diverge on capability: Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather, Weathernews Inc covers Optimum ship routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Visual Crossing Weather and Weathernews Inc differ
AttributeVisual Crossing WeatherWeathernews Inc
Starting priceFree$600/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsApi, WebWeb, Api, Mobile
Founded20031986

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 Visual Crossing Weather

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

Only in Weathernews Inc

  • Optimum ship routing
  • Weather forecasting
  • Voyage planning
  • Risk assessment
  • Fleet management
  • Bridge systems
  • Navigation software
  • Mobile support

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 Weathernews Inc
  • Adding forecast data to applications through a weather APInot Weathernews Inc
  • Weather driven analytics for energy, agriculture and logisticsnot Weathernews Inc

Weathernews Inc

  • Optimizing cargo ship navigation with real-time maritime weather forecastsnot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Supporting offshore wind farm operations with 24-hour weather monitoringnot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Providing exclusive wind data for commercial drone flight planningnot Visual Crossing Weather
  • Routing emergency medical helicopters in Japan with weather intelligencenot 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

Weathernews Inc

  • Primarily Japan-based with headquarters in Chiba, may have lower coverage in certain regional markets outside Asia
  • Marine weather data and aviation services are newer offerings compared to core weather forecasting capabilities
  • Competition from established European weather services in maritime sector

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

Weathernews Inc

$600/month
  • Optimum Routing$1500/month
    • Weather routing
    • Voyage optimization
    • 24/7 support

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 Weathernews Inc if

  • You need optimum ship routing.
  • You work on Web, Api, Mobile.
  • You also want weather forecasting.
Weathernews Inc review

Questions people ask

Is Visual Crossing Weather or Weathernews Inc better?
Neither clearly leads. Visual Crossing Weather starts at Free and Weathernews Inc at $600/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Visual Crossing Weather or Weathernews Inc?
Visual Crossing Weather has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Visual Crossing Weather and $600/month for Weathernews Inc.
Does Visual Crossing Weather or Weathernews Inc run on more platforms?
Visual Crossing Weather runs on Api, Web. Weathernews Inc runs on Web, Api, Mobile.
Can I use Visual Crossing Weather for free?
Yes. Visual Crossing Weather has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Weathernews Inc starts at $600/month.
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 Weathernews Inc is typically brought in for.
What can Visual Crossing Weather do that Weathernews Inc cannot?
Visual Crossing Weather covers Historical weather, 15-day forecasts, Weather query builder, Bulk downloads. Weathernews Inc covers Optimum ship routing, Weather forecasting, Voyage planning, Risk assessment. 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
Weathernews Inc: Does Weathernews provide marine weather data?

Yes. Weathernews provides wind, wave, current, sea ice, and typhoon information for global marine operations through its SeaNavigator platform, which launched SeaNavigator for Master in December 2025 with AI-assisted operations support.

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
Weathernews Inc: What marine weather products does Weathernews offer?

Weathernews offers SeaNavigator Marine Weather Service, SeaNavigator for Master with conversational AI for captains, and marine data for Middle East waters made available free of charge in April 2026.

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
Weathernews Inc: Does Weathernews serve the aviation industry?

Yes. Weathernews expanded aviation services with the December 2025 launch of SkyAviators, offering Global Aviation Weather Intelligence with turbulence risk assessments and takeoff/landing feasibility judgments for airports worldwide.

Source
Weathernews Inc: What was Weathernews founded in response to?

Weathernews was founded on June 11, 1986 by Hiro Ishibashi in response to a tragic maritime disaster where a cargo vessel sank at the port of Onahama, Japan with 15 crew members lost, demonstrating the need for better weather information.

Source
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