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Software · head to head

Weather.gov vs OpenWeatherMap

Weather.gov logo

Weather.gov

Software

Official U.S. National Weather Service forecasts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenWeatherMap logo

OpenWeatherMap

Software

Developer-friendly weather API with global coverage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Weather.gov no official mobile app, requiring users to access through browser or shortcuts; OpenWeatherMap free tier capped at 60 calls/minute and 1,000,000 calls/month
  • They diverge on capability: Weather.gov covers Official forecasts, OpenWeatherMap covers Weather API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Weather.gov and OpenWeatherMap actually diverge.

Attributes where Weather.gov and OpenWeatherMap differ
AttributeWeather.govOpenWeatherMap
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Founded18702017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Weather.gov

  • Official forecasts
  • Severe weather warnings
  • Radar imagery
  • Marine forecasts
  • Aviation weather
  • API access
  • Data feeds
  • Alert systems

Only in OpenWeatherMap

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Weather.gov

  • Professional Worknot OpenWeatherMap
  • Content Creationnot OpenWeatherMap

OpenWeatherMap

  • Embedding current weather and short-term forecasts into third-party apps/websitesnot Weather.gov
  • Pulling historical and statistical weather data for researchnot Weather.gov
  • Displaying weather map overlays (precipitation, clouds, etc.) via the Weather Maps APInot Weather.gov
  • Monitoring air pollution levels via the Air Pollution APInot Weather.gov
  • Geocoding locations for weather lookupsnot Weather.gov

Where each one falls short

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

Weather.gov

  • No official mobile app, requiring users to access through browser or shortcuts
  • No push notifications for weather alerts
  • Outdated user interface compared to commercial alternatives
  • Mobile website has been decommissioned with no dedicated mobile experience

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Weather.gov

Free
  • FreeFree
    • All forecasts
    • Severe weather alerts
    • Radar data

OpenWeatherMap

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 60 calls/min
    • 1,000,000 calls/month
    • current weather, 3-hr/5-day forecast, air pollution, 15 map layers, geocoding

Which should you pick?

Choose Weather.gov if

  • You need official forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want severe weather warnings.
Weather.gov review

Choose OpenWeatherMap if

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

Questions people ask

Is Weather.gov or OpenWeatherMap better?
Neither clearly leads. Weather.gov starts at Free and OpenWeatherMap at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weather.gov or OpenWeatherMap?
Weather.gov starts at Free and OpenWeatherMap at Free.
Does Weather.gov or OpenWeatherMap run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Weather.gov for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Weather.gov best used for?
Weather.gov is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what OpenWeatherMap is typically brought in for.
What can Weather.gov do that OpenWeatherMap cannot?
Weather.gov covers Official forecasts, Severe weather warnings, Radar imagery, Marine forecasts. OpenWeatherMap covers Weather API, Current conditions, Forecasts, Historical data. Both handle Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Weather.gov: Does Weather.gov have a mobile app?

No. The National Weather Service does not provide an official mobile app. Users can access weather.gov through a mobile browser or create a home screen shortcut, but there is no dedicated app for push notifications or offline access.

Source
Weather.gov: Is Weather.gov free?

Yes. Weather.gov and its public API at api.weather.gov are completely free to use with no subscription fees. The API only requires a User-Agent header identification and serves weather data at no cost.

Source
Weather.gov: What data formats does Weather.gov API support?

The API supports multiple formats including GeoJSON (default), JSON-LD, DWML, OXML, CAP (Common Alerting Protocol), and ATOM, allowing developers to integrate weather data into various applications.

Source
Weather.gov: Can I get detailed forecast data beyond basic predictions?

Yes. Weather.gov provides gridpoint endpoints with 12-hour and hourly forecast periods, raw forecast data at approximately 2.5km resolution, current observations from weather stations, and detailed alerts with state, county, and zone filtering.

Source
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