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Weather & Environment · head to head

Weather Underground vs AirVisual

Weather Underground logo

Weather Underground

Weather & Environment

Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AirVisual logo

AirVisual

Weather & Environment

World's largest air quality information platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; AirVisual outdoor readings depend on nearby government or crowdsourced monitors, so accuracy varies with local coverage
  • They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Weather Underground and AirVisual differ
AttributeWeather UndergroundAirVisual
PlatformsWeb, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station networkIos, Android, Web
Founded20032015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather & Environment).

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 AirVisual

  • Global AQI coverage
  • 3-day forecasts
  • Health recommendations
  • City rankings
  • Historical data
  • Widgets
  • Apple Watch
  • Smart displays

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 AirVisual
  • Content Creationnot AirVisual

AirVisual

  • Checking local air quality and PM2.5 levelsnot Weather Underground
  • Seven day air quality forecastsnot Weather Underground
  • Health guidance based on current pollutionnot Weather Underground
  • Comparing indoor and outdoor air with an IQAir monitornot 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

AirVisual

  • Outdoor readings depend on nearby government or crowdsourced monitors, so accuracy varies with local coverage
  • Indoor measurement needs an IQAir AirVisual monitor bought separately
  • The app pages do not state what, if anything, costs money

Pricing, plan by plan

Weather Underground

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

AirVisual

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Global AQI data
    • Forecasts
    • Health tips
  • Pro$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Historical data
    • Widgets

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.
Weather Underground review

Choose AirVisual if

  • You need global aqi coverage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want 3-day forecasts.
AirVisual review

Questions people ask

Is Weather Underground or AirVisual better?
Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and AirVisual at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or AirVisual?
Weather Underground starts at Free and AirVisual at Free.
Does Weather Underground or AirVisual run on more platforms?
Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. AirVisual runs on Ios, Android, Web.
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 AirVisual is typically brought in for.
What can Weather Underground do that AirVisual cannot?
Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. AirVisual covers Global AQI coverage, 3-day forecasts, Health recommendations, City rankings. 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.

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 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 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
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Related pages

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