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Weather · head to head

WSI (The Weather Company) vs Zoom Earth

WSI (The Weather Company) logo

WSI (The Weather Company)

Weather

Professional weather solutions for business operations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoom Earth logo

Zoom Earth

Weather

Free browser-based satellite weather and storm tracking, no account or install

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoom Earth has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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); Zoom Earth there are no push notifications or alerts, so it cannot warn you proactively the way a mobile weather app can.
  • They diverge on capability: WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather, Zoom Earth covers Global satellite view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which WSI (The Weather Company) and Zoom Earth actually diverge.

Attributes where WSI (The Weather Company) and Zoom Earth differ
AttributeWSI (The Weather Company)Zoom Earth
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteFree, no account required
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, EnterpriseWeb
Founded1978Unknown

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 WSI (The Weather Company)

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

Only in Zoom Earth

  • Global satellite view
  • Storm tracking
  • MODIS high resolution
  • Historical imagery
  • Precipitation radar overlay
  • No install required

What people use each for

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

WSI (The Weather Company)

  • Professional Worknot Zoom Earth
  • Content Creationnot Zoom Earth

Zoom Earth

  • Watching a hurricane or typhoon track develop without installing an appnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • A quick global satellite check before deciding whether a local forecast app is worth openingnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Journalists or researchers needing a citable, no-login satellite view of a weather eventnot WSI (The Weather Company)
  • Comparing current satellite imagery against archived imagery from years earlier for the same regionnot WSI (The Weather Company)

Where each one falls short

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

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)

Zoom Earth

  • There are no push notifications or alerts, so it cannot warn you proactively the way a mobile weather app can.
  • It has no offline mode, so it is unusable without an internet connection, unlike apps that cache forecasts.
  • Forecasting is minimal; it shows what the satellites and radar currently see rather than a detailed hyperlocal forecast.
  • Being free and unaccountable to a paying customer base, there is no committed support channel if the site or a data feed goes down.
  • The browser-only interface is less convenient for quick daily checks than a home-screen app icon with widgets.

Pricing, plan by plan

WSI (The Weather Company)

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

Zoom Earth

Free
  • Zoom EarthFree
    • Full satellite and storm tracking access
    • No account, no ads-gated tier
    • No offline mode or push alerts

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Zoom Earth if

  • You need global satellite view.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want storm tracking.
Zoom Earth review

Questions people ask

Is WSI (The Weather Company) or Zoom Earth better?
Neither clearly leads. WSI (The Weather Company) starts at On request and Zoom Earth at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, WSI (The Weather Company) or Zoom Earth?
Zoom Earth has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for WSI (The Weather Company) and Free for Zoom Earth.
Does WSI (The Weather Company) or Zoom Earth run on more platforms?
WSI (The Weather Company) runs on Web, Api, Enterprise. Zoom Earth runs on Web.
Can I use Zoom Earth for free?
Yes. Zoom Earth has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. WSI (The Weather Company) starts at On request.
What is WSI (The Weather Company) best used for?
WSI (The Weather Company) is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what Zoom Earth is typically brought in for.
What can WSI (The Weather Company) do that Zoom Earth cannot?
WSI (The Weather Company) covers Aviation weather, Energy forecasting, Media solutions, Insurance analytics. Zoom Earth covers Global satellite view, Storm tracking, MODIS high resolution, Historical imagery.

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
Zoom Earth: Do I need to create an account?

No. Zoom Earth works without registration or login.

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
Zoom Earth: Is there a mobile app?

No, it is a responsive website that works in mobile browsers rather than a native app.

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
Zoom Earth: How current is the imagery?

Geostationary imagery updates roughly every 10 to 15 minutes; higher-resolution MODIS imagery updates about twice a day.

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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