Softwr

Weather · head to head

Weather.gov vs Weather Underground

Weather.gov logo

Weather.gov

Weather

Official U.S. National Weather Service forecasts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weather Underground logo

Weather Underground

Weather

Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations

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; Weather Underground free public API discontinued as of December 31, 2018 with no new developer accounts accepted
  • They diverge on capability: Weather.gov covers Official forecasts, Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Weather.gov and Weather Underground differ
AttributeWeather.govWeather Underground
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network
Founded18702003

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 Weather.gov

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

Only in Weather Underground

  • Personal weather stations
  • Hyperlocal data
  • Historical records
  • Webcams
  • Community forums
  • PWS networks
  • Smart home
  • APIs

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Weather.gov

  • Professional Work
  • Content Creation

Weather Underground

  • Professional Work
  • Content Creation

Both are used for professional work, content creation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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  • Outdated user interface compared to commercial alternatives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

Weather Underground

  • Free public API discontinued as of December 31, 2018 with no new developer accounts accepted
  • Previous enterprise pricing was expensive at $150/month for Cumulus Drizzle plan
  • No longer competitive for developers needing reliable weather API access
  • Service is in wind-down phase with limited future development

Pricing, plan by plan

Weather.gov

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

Weather Underground

Free
  • FreeFree
    • PWS data access
    • Forecasts
    • Historical data
  • Ad-Free$1.99/month
    • No advertisements
    • Premium features

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 Weather Underground if

  • You need personal weather stations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network.
  • You also want hyperlocal data.
Weather Underground review

Questions people ask

Is Weather.gov or Weather Underground better?
Neither clearly leads. Weather.gov starts at Free and Weather Underground at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weather.gov or Weather Underground?
Weather.gov starts at Free and Weather Underground at Free.
Does Weather.gov or Weather Underground run on more platforms?
Weather.gov runs on Web. Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network.
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.
What can Weather.gov do that Weather Underground cannot?
Weather.gov covers Official forecasts, Severe weather warnings, Radar imagery, Marine forecasts. Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Both handle Web 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 Underground: What happened to the Weather Underground API?

The free public API was discontinued on December 31, 2018, after IBM acquired The Weather Company. The service is now in a wind-down phase with no new developer accounts accepted.

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 Underground: Can I still use Weather Underground's data?

Free API keys are still available for Personal Weather Station (PWS) owners who upload data to the network. General developers need to migrate to alternative weather API providers.

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 Underground: What was the pricing for Weather Underground's Cumulus plans?

The Cumulus Drizzle plan cost $150/month, which many developers found prohibitively expensive for weather data compared to modern alternatives.

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
Weather Underground: Does Weather Underground still offer a consumer-facing service?

Yes. The consumer website continues to provide weather forecasts, news, alerts, and access to personal weather station data through the PWS network.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Weather.gov

More on Weather Underground

Keep looking

Other head to heads