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Weather · head to head

Windy vs WSI (The Weather Company)

Windy logo

Windy

Weather

Advanced weather visualization and forecasting platform

From
Free
Rated
-
WSI (The Weather Company) logo

WSI (The Weather Company)

Weather

Professional weather solutions for business operations

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Windy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Windy windy Premium is required for the 1-hour and 15-day forecast outlook, 4-6x daily model updates, 24-hour radar/satellite loops with 1-year archives, and tide forecast maps, per the App Store listing; the free tier lacks these; 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: Windy covers Weather visualization, 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 Windy and WSI (The Weather Company) actually diverge.

Attributes where Windy and WSI (The Weather Company) differ
AttributeWindyWSI (The Weather Company)
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Api, Enterprise
Founded20141978

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 Windy

  • Weather visualization
  • Wind forecasts
  • Precipitation maps
  • Interactive charts
  • Real-time data
  • Global weather models
  • Satellite data
  • Weather APIs

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

What people use each for

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

Windy

  • Weather analysisnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Flight planningnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Wind pattern analysisnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Meteorological researchnot WSI (The Weather Company)

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Professional Worknot Windy
  • Content Creationnot Windy

Where each one falls short

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

Windy

  • Windy Premium is required for the 1-hour and 15-day forecast outlook, 4-6x daily model updates, 24-hour radar/satellite loops with 1-year archives, and tide forecast maps, per the App Store listing; the free tier lacks these

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

Windy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Weather maps
    • Wind forecasts
    • Precipitation data
  • Premium$5.99/month
    • Advanced models
    • Historical data
    • API access

WSI (The Weather Company)

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Windy if

  • You need weather visualization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want wind forecasts.

Choose WSI (The Weather Company) if

  • You need aviation weather.
  • You work on Web, Api, Enterprise.
  • You also want energy forecasting.

Questions people ask

Is Windy or WSI (The Weather Company) better?
Neither clearly leads. Windy starts at Free 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, Windy or WSI (The Weather Company)?
Windy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Windy and On request for WSI (The Weather Company).
Does Windy or WSI (The Weather Company) run on more platforms?
Windy runs on Web, Ios, Android. WSI (The Weather Company) runs on Web, Api, Enterprise.
Can I use Windy for free?
Yes. Windy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. WSI (The Weather Company) starts at On request.
What is Windy best used for?
Windy is most often used for weather analysis, flight planning, wind pattern analysis, meteorological research. Of those, weather analysis and flight planning are not what WSI (The Weather Company) is typically brought in for.
What can Windy do that WSI (The Weather Company) cannot?
Windy covers Weather visualization, Wind forecasts, Precipitation maps, Interactive charts. WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather, Energy forecasting, Media solutions, Insurance analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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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