Weather & Environment · head to head
Weather Underground vs Ambient Weather Network
Weather Underground
Weather & Environment
Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Ambient Weather Network
Weather & Environment
Connect your weather station to the cloud
- 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; Ambient Weather Network the App Store listing states the Ambient Weather Network app requires iOS 14.1 or later, and the underlying station apps (awnet, AmbientTool) are tied to specific discontinued hardware models.
- They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Ambient Weather Network covers Cloud connectivity.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Weather Underground and Ambient Weather Network actually diverge.
| Attribute | Weather Underground | Ambient Weather Network |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network | Web, Ios, Android |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather & Environment), founded (2003).
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
Only in Ambient Weather Network
- Cloud connectivity
- Real-time data
- Historical storage
- Alerts
- Public sharing
- Alexa
- Google Home
- IFTTT
Both cover
- APIs
- 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 Work
- Content Creation
Ambient Weather Network
- 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 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
Ambient Weather Network
- The App Store listing states the Ambient Weather Network app requires iOS 14.1 or later, and the underlying station apps (awnet, AmbientTool) are tied to specific discontinued hardware models.
Pricing, plan by plan
Weather Underground
Free- FreeFree
- PWS data access
- Forecasts
- Historical data
- Ad-Free$1.99/month
- No advertisements
- Premium features
Ambient Weather Network
Free- FreeFree
- Data upload
- Dashboard
- API access
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 Ambient Weather Network if
- You need cloud connectivity.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want real-time data.
Questions people ask
- Is Weather Underground or Ambient Weather Network better?
- Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and Ambient Weather Network at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or Ambient Weather Network?
- Weather Underground starts at Free and Ambient Weather Network at Free.
- Does Weather Underground or Ambient Weather Network run on more platforms?
- Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. Ambient Weather Network runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- 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.
- What can Weather Underground do that Ambient Weather Network cannot?
- Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Ambient Weather Network covers Cloud connectivity, Real-time data, Historical storage, Alerts. Both handle APIs, 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