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Weather · head to head

Weathernews Inc vs WSI (The Weather Company)

Weathernews Inc logo

Weathernews Inc

Weather

Global weather solutions for shipping

From
$600/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WSI (The Weather Company) logo

WSI (The Weather Company)

Weather

Professional weather solutions for business operations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Weathernews Inc primarily Japan-based with headquarters in Chiba, may have lower coverage in certain regional markets outside Asia; WSI (The Weather Company) the Weather Company (which acquired WSI) states on its own site that it no longer owns The Weather Channel TV network, a separate entity from its data/API business (Internet Archive capture, 6 May 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Weathernews Inc covers Optimum ship routing, WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Weathernews Inc and WSI (The Weather Company) actually diverge.

Attributes where Weathernews Inc and WSI (The Weather Company) differ
AttributeWeathernews IncWSI (The Weather Company)
Starting price$600/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Api, MobileWeb, Api, Enterprise
Founded19861978

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Weathernews Inc

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

Only in WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Aviation weather
  • Energy forecasting
  • Media solutions
  • Insurance analytics
  • Precision forecasts
  • Enterprise systems
  • Aviation networks
  • Trading platforms

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Weathernews Inc

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

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Professional Worknot Weathernews Inc
  • Content Creationnot Weathernews Inc

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • The Weather Company (which acquired WSI) states on its own site that it no longer owns The Weather Channel TV network, a separate entity from its data/API business (Internet Archive capture, 6 May 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Weathernews Inc

$600/month
  • Optimum Routing$1500/month
    • Weather routing
    • Voyage optimization
    • 24/7 support

WSI (The Weather Company)

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Industry solutions
    • API access
    • Custom analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Weathernews Inc if

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

Choose WSI (The Weather Company) if

  • You need aviation weather.
  • You work on Web, Api, Enterprise.
  • You also want energy forecasting.
WSI (The Weather Company) review

Questions people ask

Is Weathernews Inc or WSI (The Weather Company) better?
Neither clearly leads. Weathernews Inc starts at $600/month and WSI (The Weather Company) at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weathernews Inc or WSI (The Weather Company)?
Weathernews Inc starts at $600/month and WSI (The Weather Company) at On request.
Does Weathernews Inc or WSI (The Weather Company) run on more platforms?
Weathernews Inc runs on Web, Api, Mobile. WSI (The Weather Company) runs on Web, Api, Enterprise.
What is Weathernews Inc best used for?
Weathernews Inc is most often used for optimizing cargo ship navigation with real-time maritime weather forecasts, supporting offshore wind farm operations with 24-hour weather monitoring, providing exclusive wind data for commercial drone flight planning, routing emergency medical helicopters in japan with weather intelligence. Of those, optimizing cargo ship navigation with real-time maritime weather forecasts and supporting offshore wind farm operations with 24-hour weather monitoring are not what WSI (The Weather Company) is typically brought in for.
What can Weathernews Inc do that WSI (The Weather Company) cannot?
Weathernews Inc covers Optimum ship routing, Weather forecasting, Voyage planning, Risk assessment. WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather, Energy forecasting, Media solutions, Insurance analytics. Both handle Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
WSI (The Weather Company): What does the Weather Company API free trial include?

The free trial lasts 30 days and includes 50,000 API calls per day at a rate of 100 calls per minute. This is limited to enterprise customers only.

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
WSI (The Weather Company): What is the pricing for standard Weather Company API access?

The Standard Plan costs $500 USD per month, billed annually, and includes 1 million API calls per month with access to current conditions, forecasts, lifestyle indices, alerts, and weather imagery.

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
WSI (The Weather Company): Do airlines get special pricing on Weather Company APIs?

Yes, major airlines are required to enroll in a custom Enterprise plan with pricing determined by agreement rather than the standard pricing tiers.

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
WSI (The Weather Company): Are extra weather features like historical records available, and how much do they cost?

Extra features including probabilistic forecasts, lightning data, and historical records are available, but require contacting sales for custom pricing. Dedicated account management is also offered as an optional add-on.

Source
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