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Weather · head to head

Windy vs Yr.no

Windy logo

Windy

Weather

Advanced weather visualization and forecasting platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yr.no logo

Yr.no

Weather

Norway's trusted free weather service for the world

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Yr.no full API/data usage requires attribution to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK per their terms, not a no-strings-attached free service
  • They diverge on capability: Windy covers Weather visualization, Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Windy and Yr.no actually diverge.

Attributes where Windy and Yr.no differ
AttributeWindyYr.no
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
Founded20142007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Yr.no

  • Hourly forecasts
  • Long-term predictions
  • Precipitation graphs
  • Wind data
  • Aurora forecasts
  • Open API
  • Widgets
  • Smart displays

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Windy

  • Weather analysisnot Yr.no
  • Flight planningnot Yr.no
  • Wind pattern analysisnot Yr.no
  • Meteorological researchnot Yr.no

Yr.no

  • Checking day-by-day and hour-by-hour weather forecasts with graph detailsnot Windy
  • Now-cast alerts for rainfall expected within the next 90 minutesnot Windy
  • Viewing UV forecasts, pollen spread, and air pollution overviewsnot Windy
  • Embedding free weather widgets/modules on third-party websitesnot Windy
  • Building weather features into apps via Yr's free REST APIs (forecasts, alerts, radar, ocean data)not 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

Yr.no

  • Full API/data usage requires attribution to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK per their terms, not a no-strings-attached free service
  • Product and documentation are heavily Norway/Nordic-centric in framing even though forecasts cover any location on earth
  • No paid/pro consumer tier is published, monetization/support model beyond the free service is unclear from primary sources

Pricing, plan by plan

Windy

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

Yr.no

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full weather data
    • Hourly forecasts
    • Long-term outlook

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.
Windy review

Choose Yr.no if

  • You need hourly forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want long-term predictions.
Yr.no review

Questions people ask

Is Windy or Yr.no better?
Neither clearly leads. Windy starts at Free and Yr.no at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Windy or Yr.no?
Windy starts at Free and Yr.no at Free.
Does Windy or Yr.no run on more platforms?
Windy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Yr.no runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Windy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Yr.no is typically brought in for.
What can Windy do that Yr.no cannot?
Windy covers Weather visualization, Wind forecasts, Precipitation maps, Interactive charts. Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts, Long-term predictions, Precipitation graphs, Wind data. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Yr.no: Is Yr.no free to use?

Yes, Yr.no is a free weather forecasting service. It is a collaboration between NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

Source
Yr.no: Does Yr.no require registration or payment to access weather forecasts?

The website does not mention any registration requirements, subscription tiers, or payment obligations. Access to weather information appears to be free without account creation.

Source
Yr.no: Who funds and maintains Yr.no if it is free?

Yr.no is maintained as a public service collaboration between NRK (Norwegian public broadcasting) and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute, both government-supported organizations.

Source
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