Software · head to head
Weather Underground vs Foreca
Weather Underground
Software
Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations
- 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; Foreca free version includes advertisements (only removable via paid subscription)
- They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Foreca covers Global forecasts.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Weather Underground and Foreca actually diverge.
| Attribute | Weather Underground | Foreca |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network | iOS, macOS |
| Founded | 2003 | 1996 |
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 Foreca
- Global forecasts
- Automotive weather
- Mobile SDK
- White-label apps
- Marine weather
- Mobile platforms
- Automotive systems
- Digital services
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Weather Underground
- Professional Worknot Foreca
- Content Creationnot Foreca
Foreca
- Checking hourly/daily forecasts and animated weather/radar mapsnot Weather Underground
- Receiving government weather alerts and rain notificationsnot Weather Underground
- Tracking air quality index and UV levelsnot Weather Underground
- Monitoring multiple saved locationsnot Weather Underground
- Apple Watch complications and home-screen widgets for at-a-glance weathernot 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
Foreca
- Free version includes advertisements (only removable via paid subscription)
- Requires relatively recent OS versions on Apple platforms (iOS 16.4+/macOS 13.0+) per App Store listing
- Only paid differentiator is ad removal, no deeper feature tier beyond that
Pricing, plan by plan
Weather Underground
Free- FreeFree
- PWS data access
- Forecasts
- Historical data
- Ad-Free$1.99/month
- No advertisements
- Premium features
Foreca
Free- Ad-free (3 months)$1.59/3 months
- Ad-free (1 year)$4.99/year
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 Foreca if
- You need global forecasts.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, macOS.
- You also want automotive weather.
Questions people ask
- Is Weather Underground or Foreca better?
- Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and Foreca at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or Foreca?
- Weather Underground starts at Free and Foreca at Free.
- Does Weather Underground or Foreca run on more platforms?
- Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. Foreca runs on iOS, 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 Foreca is typically brought in for.
- What can Weather Underground do that Foreca cannot?
- Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Foreca covers Global forecasts, Automotive weather, Mobile SDK, White-label apps. 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.
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