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Weather & Environment · head to head

Weather Underground vs Baron Weather

Weather Underground logo

Weather Underground

Weather & Environment

Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Baron Weather logo

Baron Weather

Weather & Environment

Critical weather technology for media and government

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Weather Underground has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Weather Underground free public API discontinued as of December 31, 2018 with no new developer accounts accepted; Baron Weather pricing not published; enterprise sales model requires direct contact with sales team
  • They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Baron Weather covers Broadcast graphics.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Weather Underground and Baron Weather differ
AttributeWeather UndergroundBaron Weather
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station networkWeb API, Mobile Apps, ArcGIS Integration
Founded20031989

Identical on both: 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 Baron Weather

  • Broadcast graphics
  • Radar systems
  • Severe weather detection
  • Mobile alerts
  • Custom solutions
  • Broadcast systems
  • Emergency management
  • Aviation

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Weather Underground

  • Professional Worknot Baron Weather
  • Content Creationnot Baron Weather

Baron Weather

  • Hyperlocal weather intelligence for broadcast and media operationsnot Weather Underground
  • Enterprise weather data and alerts for business continuity and risk managementnot 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

Baron Weather

  • Pricing not published; enterprise sales model requires direct contact with sales team

Pricing, plan by plan

Weather Underground

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

Baron Weather

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom solutions
    • Broadcast systems
    • Dedicated support

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 Baron Weather if

  • You need broadcast graphics.
  • You work on Web API, Mobile Apps, ArcGIS Integration.
  • You also want radar systems.
Baron Weather review

Questions people ask

Is Weather Underground or Baron Weather better?
Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and Baron Weather at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or Baron Weather?
Weather Underground has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Weather Underground and On request for Baron Weather.
Does Weather Underground or Baron Weather run on more platforms?
Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. Baron Weather runs on Web API, Mobile Apps, ArcGIS Integration.
Can I use Weather Underground for free?
Yes. Weather Underground has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Baron Weather starts at On request.
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 Baron Weather is typically brought in for.
What can Weather Underground do that Baron Weather cannot?
Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Baron Weather covers Broadcast graphics, Radar systems, Severe weather detection, Mobile alerts. Both handle Web 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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