Software · head to head
Weather Underground vs Carrot Weather
Weather Underground
Software
Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Carrot Weather
Software
Hilariously accurate weather app with personality
- 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; Carrot Weather most advanced weather data sources (AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Aeris Weather, Netatmo personal stations) and map layers (lightning, alerts, wind, humidity, dew point, snow depth) are locked behind paid Premium/Ultrapremium Club subscriptions, not included in the base app
- They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Carrot Weather covers Personality modes.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Weather Underground and Carrot Weather actually diverge.
| Attribute | Weather Underground | Carrot Weather |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network | iOS, Android, macOS |
| Founded | 2003 | 2013 |
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 Carrot Weather
- Personality modes
- Multiple data sources
- Custom layouts
- Secret locations
- Snarky commentary
- Apple Watch
- Siri shortcuts
- Widgets
Both cover
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Weather Underground
- Professional Worknot Carrot Weather
- Content Creationnot Carrot Weather
Carrot Weather
- Checking current, hourly, and daily weather forecasts with a humorous AI personalitynot Weather Underground
- Viewing radar, storm cell, and weather alert mapsnot Weather Underground
- Receiving push notifications for rain, lightning, or storm cells (premium)not Weather Underground
- Tracking historical weather data (up to 70 years back) or long-range forecasts via the 'weather time machine' featurenot Weather Underground
- Using Apple Watch complications/widgets for at-a-glance forecastsnot 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
Carrot Weather
- Most advanced weather data sources (AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Aeris Weather, Netatmo personal stations) and map layers (lightning, alerts, wind, humidity, dew point, snow depth) are locked behind paid Premium/Ultrapremium Club subscriptions, not included in the base app
- Background Apple Watch updates for premium data sources require an active subscription
- Pricing for named tiers (Premium Club, Premium Ultra, Premium Family) is disclosed only via in-app purchase screens rather than a public pricing page with fixed dollar figures
- Mac App Store listing shows a separate $14.99 one-time purchase price for macOS, a different pricing model than the free-to-download iOS/Android version
Pricing, plan by plan
Weather Underground
Free- FreeFree
- PWS data access
- Forecasts
- Historical data
- Ad-Free$1.99/month
- No advertisements
- Premium features
Carrot Weather
Free- Premium Club$undefined/mo
- Additional data sources and map layers
- Ultrapremium Club$undefined/mo
- Full data sources, map layers, notifications
- Premium Family$undefined/mo
- Shares Premium/Ultrapremium across up to 5 family members
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 Carrot Weather if
- You need personality modes.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, macOS.
- You also want multiple data sources.
Questions people ask
- Is Weather Underground or Carrot Weather better?
- Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and Carrot Weather at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or Carrot Weather?
- Weather Underground starts at Free and Carrot Weather at Free.
- Does Weather Underground or Carrot Weather run on more platforms?
- Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. Carrot Weather runs on 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 Carrot Weather is typically brought in for.
- What can Weather Underground do that Carrot Weather cannot?
- Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Carrot Weather covers Personality modes, Multiple data sources, Custom layouts, Secret locations. Both handle Ios 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Weather Underground
More on Carrot Weather
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