Comparison: Best Open Weather Map Alternatives

28. 10. 2022

If you are reading this article, it is more than likely that you are looking for top-rated alternatives to Open Weather Map, which is a widely used weather API but has its limitations.

The decision of which weather API to use should not be limited to a number of calls in your subscription. It is a process where you need to consider the accuracy of the data, weather variables you need, the transparency of future scalability in case you need more data or requests in the future, and any additional services and support your API provider might offer.

Open Weather Map is the most common provider of weather data for developers of new projects looking for free API to start with. However, as their product evolves, they are usually looking for more accurate and detailed source which would provide more value and support for their use case.

List of Top Rated Alternatives for Open Weather Map

Meteosource Weather API

Meteosource is an all-in-one professional weather API, which uses advanced machine learning to offer best-in-class accuracy. It is the first professional weather service offering low-cost API to non-corporate as well as corporate clients. Advanced technology creates a seamless developer experience with comprehensive documentation and many great functionality and features at an affordable price.

Comparison of Open Weather Map vs Meteosource:

Feature Meteosource Open Weather Map
Free/Trial subscription
Transparent pricing
Data accuracy
Updates in real-time
Data based on multiple weather models
Stable service running in cloud
Advanced variables and text summaries
Profesional meteorologists

Why is Meteosource a better alternative

It is a comprehensive weather API with all features you might need and superior accuracy of weather data. You will easily get historical weather, hyperlocal weather forecasts updated in real-time, and other features such as map layers, air quality, maritime weather, and more.
To sum it up:

  • Weather forecasts based on machine learning combining many different weather models (GFS, European, UKMO, and more) into one single output
  • Expertise with machine learning and applied models for energy, retail, and other industries
  • All variables you might need, including special advanced variables
  • Real-time updates to bring the most up-to-date weather data
  • Intuitive interface and documentation and dedicated support


Accuweather

Accuweather is probably one of the most well-known weather brands for the public. Accuweather beats Open Weather Map in accuracy, however, their API is much more expensive and not so advanced. Note that while you can use this API in both commercial and non-commercial applications, including the Accuweather logo is required.

Comparison of Open Weather Map vs Accuweather:

Feature Accuweather Open Weather Map
Free/Trial subscription
Transparent pricing
Data accuracy
Data availability
Professional meteorologists


WillyWeather

Data with great accuracy for Australia - information based mainly on data supplied by the Bureau of Meteorology. It is the first option to go to for apps that focus on Australia only. However, WilliWeather does not support any other regions and can be quite pricey when you start looking for ways to scale your application.

  • Data from the Bureau of Meteorology - current measurements and warnings for Australia
  • Lacks advanced weather variables and an hour-by-hour forecast
  • Relatively expensive compared to other weather sources


Meteogroup

UK-based weather service with specialisation in nautical weather and environmental data. However, Meteogroup pricing is not transparent and can be pretty pricey. In terms of accuracy Meteogroup beats Open Weather Map and Accuweather at least for the UK.

Feature Meteogroup Open Weather Map
Data accuracy
Free/Trial subscription
Transparent pricing
Data availability

Limitation of Open Weather Map and what to look in among alternatives

When it comes to selecting the right data provider, it is always better to choose a professional weather service rather than just an API service that would translate weather data directly from weather models. Understanding the weather, having professional meteorologists, and working with the data correctly will add much more value to your product in the future and will not let you down.

Choosing the right weather API provider can be confusing and at times, frustrating. We hope the above Open Weather Map alternatives will help you gain more control over the data and make the choice easier for you.

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