Software · head to head
Weather Underground vs AccuWeather
Weather Underground
Software
Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
AccuWeather
Software
Superior accuracy with proprietary RealFeel technology
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Weather Underground free public API discontinued as of December 31, 2018 with no new developer accounts accepted; AccuWeather free API tier limited to 500 calls/day (14-day trial), forcing quick upgrade to paid plans
- They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, AccuWeather covers RealFeel temperature.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Weather Underground and AccuWeather actually diverge.
| Attribute | Weather Underground | AccuWeather |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network | Web, iOS, Android, macOS |
| Founded | 2003 | 1962 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Underground
- Personal weather stations
- Hyperlocal data
- Historical records
- Webcams
- Community forums
- PWS networks
- Smart home
- APIs
Only in AccuWeather
- RealFeel temperature
- MinuteCast
- 45-day forecasts
- Severe weather alerts
- Air quality
- Smart TV apps
- Automotive
- Smart speakers
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Weather Underground
- Professional Worknot AccuWeather
- Content Creationnot AccuWeather
AccuWeather
- Checking hyperlocal current conditions and minute-by-minute precipitation forecasts (MinuteCast)not Weather Underground
- Getting severe weather alerts and notificationsnot Weather Underground
- Viewing extended daily/hourly forecasts for trip planningnot Weather Underground
- Building weather-driven features into third-party apps via the Core Weather APInot Weather Underground
- Ad-free or premium in-app weather viewing via AccuWeather Premium/Premium+ subscriptionsnot Weather Underground
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
AccuWeather
- Free API tier limited to 500 calls/day (14-day trial), forcing quick upgrade to paid plans
- Entry paid API tier (Starter, $2/month) capped at 15,000 monthly calls with only Current Conditions and 5-day Forecast
- Higher-tier forecast features (72-hour/10-day/120-hour/15-day forecasts, Alerts, Imagery) gated behind Prime ($250/mo) and Elite ($500/mo) API plans
- Consumer app requires iOS 17 / iPadOS 17 / macOS 14 or later, excluding older Apple devices
Pricing, plan by plan
Weather Underground
Free- FreeFree
- PWS data access
- Forecasts
- Historical data
- Ad-Free$1.99/month
- No advertisements
- Premium features
AccuWeather
Free- FreeFree
- 500 daily API calls (14-day trial)
- AccuWeather Premium$1.99/month
- AccuWeather Premium+$4.99/month
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose AccuWeather if
- You need realfeel temperature.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS.
- You also want minutecast.
Questions people ask
- Is Weather Underground or AccuWeather better?
- Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and AccuWeather at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or AccuWeather?
- Weather Underground starts at Free and AccuWeather at Free.
- Does Weather Underground or AccuWeather run on more platforms?
- Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. AccuWeather runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS.
- Can I use Weather Underground for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Weather Underground best used for?
- Weather Underground is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what AccuWeather is typically brought in for.
- What can Weather Underground do that AccuWeather cannot?
- Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. AccuWeather covers RealFeel temperature, MinuteCast, 45-day forecasts, Severe weather alerts. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceWeather 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.
SourceWeather 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.
SourceWeather 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