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Weather · head to head

Weather Underground vs Weathernews Inc

Weather Underground logo

Weather Underground

Weather

Crowdsourced hyperlocal weather from personal stations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weathernews Inc logo

Weathernews Inc

Weather

Global weather solutions for shipping

From
$600/month
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; Weathernews Inc primarily Japan-based with headquarters in Chiba, may have lower coverage in certain regional markets outside Asia
  • They diverge on capability: Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Weathernews Inc covers Optimum ship routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Weather Underground and Weathernews Inc actually diverge.

Attributes where Weather Underground and Weathernews Inc differ
AttributeWeather UndergroundWeathernews Inc
Starting priceFree$600/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station networkWeb, Api, Mobile
Founded20031986

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather).

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 Weathernews Inc

  • Optimum ship routing
  • Weather forecasting
  • Voyage planning
  • Risk assessment
  • Fleet management
  • Bridge systems
  • Navigation software
  • Api support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Weather Underground

  • Professional Worknot Weathernews Inc
  • Content Creationnot Weathernews Inc

Weathernews Inc

  • Optimizing cargo ship navigation with real-time maritime weather forecastsnot Weather Underground
  • Supporting offshore wind farm operations with 24-hour weather monitoringnot Weather Underground
  • Providing exclusive wind data for commercial drone flight planningnot Weather Underground
  • Routing emergency medical helicopters in Japan with weather intelligencenot 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

Weathernews Inc

  • Primarily Japan-based with headquarters in Chiba, may have lower coverage in certain regional markets outside Asia
  • Marine weather data and aviation services are newer offerings compared to core weather forecasting capabilities
  • Competition from established European weather services in maritime sector

Pricing, plan by plan

Weather Underground

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

Weathernews Inc

$600/month
  • Optimum Routing$1500/month
    • Weather routing
    • Voyage optimization
    • 24/7 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 Weathernews Inc if

  • You need optimum ship routing.
  • You work on Web, Api, Mobile.
  • You also want weather forecasting.
Weathernews Inc review

Questions people ask

Is Weather Underground or Weathernews Inc better?
Neither clearly leads. Weather Underground starts at Free and Weathernews Inc at $600/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weather Underground or Weathernews Inc?
Weather Underground has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Weather Underground and $600/month for Weathernews Inc.
Does Weather Underground or Weathernews Inc run on more platforms?
Weather Underground runs on Web, Mobile web, Personal Weather Station network. Weathernews Inc runs on Web, Api, Mobile.
Can I use Weather Underground for free?
Yes. Weather Underground has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Weathernews Inc starts at $600/month.
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 Weathernews Inc is typically brought in for.
What can Weather Underground do that Weathernews Inc cannot?
Weather Underground covers Personal weather stations, Hyperlocal data, Historical records, Webcams. Weathernews Inc covers Optimum ship routing, Weather forecasting, Voyage planning, Risk assessment. 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
Weathernews Inc: Does Weathernews provide marine weather data?

Yes. Weathernews provides wind, wave, current, sea ice, and typhoon information for global marine operations through its SeaNavigator platform, which launched SeaNavigator for Master in December 2025 with AI-assisted operations support.

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
Weathernews Inc: What marine weather products does Weathernews offer?

Weathernews offers SeaNavigator Marine Weather Service, SeaNavigator for Master with conversational AI for captains, and marine data for Middle East waters made available free of charge in April 2026.

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
Weathernews Inc: Does Weathernews serve the aviation industry?

Yes. Weathernews expanded aviation services with the December 2025 launch of SkyAviators, offering Global Aviation Weather Intelligence with turbulence risk assessments and takeoff/landing feasibility judgments for airports worldwide.

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
Weathernews Inc: What was Weathernews founded in response to?

Weathernews was founded on June 11, 1986 by Hiro Ishibashi in response to a tragic maritime disaster where a cargo vessel sank at the port of Onahama, Japan with 15 crew members lost, demonstrating the need for better weather information.

Source
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