Software · head to head
Weatherstack vs Carrot Weather
Carrot Weather
Software
Hilariously accurate weather app with personality
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Weatherstack the free tier allows 100 API calls a month, which is a demo rather than a usable allowance; 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: Weatherstack covers Real-time weather, Carrot Weather covers Personality modes.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Weatherstack and Carrot Weather actually diverge.
| Attribute | Weatherstack | Carrot Weather |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Api | iOS, Android, macOS |
| Founded | 2016 | 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 Weatherstack
- Real-time weather
- Historical data
- Forecasts
- Location lookup
- Bulk queries
- REST API
- JSON responses
- HTTPS
Only in Carrot Weather
- Personality modes
- Multiple data sources
- Custom layouts
- Secret locations
- Snarky commentary
- Apple Watch
- Siri shortcuts
- Widgets
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Weatherstack
- Current weather lookups by location in an applicationnot Carrot Weather
- Historical weather data for analysis on the paid tiersnot Carrot Weather
- Short and medium range forecastsnot Carrot Weather
- Bulk location queries on the higher plansnot Carrot Weather
Carrot Weather
- Checking current, hourly, and daily weather forecasts with a humorous AI personalitynot Weatherstack
- Viewing radar, storm cell, and weather alert mapsnot Weatherstack
- Receiving push notifications for rain, lightning, or storm cells (premium)not Weatherstack
- Tracking historical weather data (up to 70 years back) or long-range forecasts via the 'weather time machine' featurenot Weatherstack
- Using Apple Watch complications/widgets for at-a-glance forecastsnot Weatherstack
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Weatherstack
- The free tier allows 100 API calls a month, which is a demo rather than a usable allowance
- Historical weather data starts at the Standard plan, $9.99 a month for 50,000 calls
- Forecasting is tiered: 7 days from Professional at $49.99 a month and 14 days from Business at $99.99
- Multi-language responses and bulk queries need Professional or above
- Going past the monthly quota incurs overage charges rather than throttling
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
Weatherstack
Free- FreeFree
- 250 calls/month
- Current weather
- Basic data
- Standard$9.99/month
- 50,000 calls/month
- Forecasts
- Historical
Carrot Weather
Free- Premium Club$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 Weatherstack if
- You need real-time weather.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Api.
- You also want historical 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 Weatherstack or Carrot Weather better?
- Neither clearly leads. Weatherstack 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, Weatherstack or Carrot Weather?
- Weatherstack starts at Free and Carrot Weather at Free.
- Does Weatherstack or Carrot Weather run on more platforms?
- Weatherstack runs on Api. Carrot Weather runs on iOS, Android, macOS.
- Can I use Weatherstack for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Weatherstack best used for?
- Weatherstack is most often used for current weather lookups by location in an application, historical weather data for analysis on the paid tiers, short and medium range forecasts, bulk location queries on the higher plans. Of those, current weather lookups by location in an application and historical weather data for analysis on the paid tiers are not what Carrot Weather is typically brought in for.
- What can Weatherstack do that Carrot Weather cannot?
- Weatherstack covers Real-time weather, Historical data, Forecasts, Location lookup. Carrot Weather covers Personality modes, Multiple data sources, Custom layouts, Secret locations.