Weather Providers
Compare and choose the best weather data provider for your needs.
Available Providers
OSS Weather supports multiple weather data providers, each with unique strengths.
Open-Meteo
Recommendation: ⭐ Best for free usage
Overview
- Coverage: Global (European-focused)
- API Key: Not required
- Cost: Free, no limits
- Update Frequency: Hourly
Features
- High-quality forecasts
- 16-day forecasts
- Hourly data up to 16 days
- Multiple weather models
- No rate limits
- No registration needed
Pros
✅ Completely free ✅ No API key required ✅ No rate limits ✅ High quality data ✅ Excellent for Europe ✅ Privacy-friendly
Cons
❌ Less detailed than OpenWeather premium ❌ Fewer data points than some providers ❌ Limited historical data
Best For
- Users who don't want API keys
- European locations
- Privacy-conscious users
- High-frequency updates
- Free unlimited usage
OpenWeather
Recommendation: ⭐ Best for comprehensive data
Overview
- Coverage: Global
- API Key: Required (free tier available)
- Cost: Free tier: 1,000 calls/day
- Update Frequency: Varies by plan
Features
- Comprehensive current conditions
- 48-hour hourly forecast
- 8-day daily forecast
- Weather alerts
- Historical data (paid)
- Air quality data
- UV index
- Detailed precipitation
Pros
✅ Very comprehensive data ✅ Excellent global coverage ✅ Rich API features ✅ Weather alerts included ✅ Well-documented API ✅ Generous free tier
Cons
❌ Requires API key ❌ Rate limits on free tier ❌ Can be complex for beginners
Best For
- Users wanting detailed data
- Global locations
- Weather alerts
- Professional use
- Historical data needs
Getting Started
- Sign up at OpenWeather
- Get your API key
- Add it in OSS Weather settings
- See API Keys guide
AccuWeather
Recommendation: 🔸 Best for minute-by-minute precipitation
Overview
- Coverage: Global
- API Key: Required
- Cost: Free tier: 50 calls/day
- Update Frequency: Limited on free tier
Features
- 15-day forecasts
- MinuteCast (minute-by-minute precipitation)
- Severe weather alerts
- Lifestyle indices
- Detailed forecasts
- Tropical weather tracking
Pros
✅ MinuteCast for precipitation timing ✅ Detailed 15-day forecasts ✅ Excellent severe weather alerts ✅ Lifestyle indices ✅ High accuracy
Cons
❌ Very limited free tier (50 calls/day) ❌ Requires API key ❌ Can exhaust quota quickly ❌ Registration required
Best For
- Precipitation timing (MinuteCast)
- Severe weather tracking
- Supplementary provider
- Low-frequency checking
Getting Started
- Sign up at AccuWeather Developer
- Create an app
- Get your API key
- Add it in OSS Weather settings
- See API Keys guide
Meteo France
Recommendation: ⭐ Best for France and territories
Overview
- Coverage: France, French territories, some Europe
- API Key: Not required
- Cost: Free
- Update Frequency: Hourly
Features
- High-quality French data
- Detailed forecasts
- Weather warnings
- Marine forecasts
- Mountain weather
- Avalanche information
Pros
✅ Excellent for France ✅ No API key needed ✅ Free with no limits ✅ Official government data ✅ Very accurate for covered regions
Cons
❌ Limited geographic coverage ❌ Primarily French territories ❌ Less global data ❌ Fewer data points than global providers
Best For
- Users in France
- French territories
- Some European locations
- Government-quality data
- Free usage in France
Comparison Table
| Feature | Open-Meteo | OpenWeather | AccuWeather | Meteo France |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| API Key | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Free Tier | Unlimited | 1,000/day | 50/day | Unlimited |
| Coverage | Global | Global | Global | France+ |
| Forecast Days | 16 | 8 | 15 | 14 |
| Hourly Data | 16 days | 48 hours | Limited | 48 hours |
| Weather Alerts | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Air Quality | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Historical | Limited | Paid | Paid | Limited |
Choosing a Provider
For Most Users
Open-Meteo - No hassle, unlimited, good quality
For Detailed Data
OpenWeather - Most comprehensive, generous free tier
For French Users
Meteo France - Best accuracy for France
For Precipitation Timing
AccuWeather - MinuteCast feature (if quota allows)
Using Multiple Providers
You can configure multiple providers and switch between them:
Strategy 1: Primary + Backup
- Primary: Open-Meteo (unlimited)
- Backup: OpenWeather (when you need more detail)
Strategy 2: Regional Optimization
- Home (France): Meteo France
- Travel (Global): Open-Meteo
Strategy 3: Comparison
- Check multiple providers
- Compare forecasts
- Choose based on historical accuracy
Switching Providers
To change your weather provider:
- Open Settings
- Go to Weather Providers
- Select provider
- Enter API key if required
- Save
The app will immediately fetch data from the new provider.
API Key Management
Security
- API keys are stored securely on your device
- Never shared or sent elsewhere
- Use unique keys per app
Rate Limits
Monitor your usage:
- Open-Meteo: No limits
- OpenWeather: 1,000 calls/day (~42 calls/hour evenly distributed)
- AccuWeather: 50 calls/day (~2 calls/hour evenly distributed)
- Meteo France: No limits
Note: Actual usage patterns may vary. These rates assume continuous even distribution throughout the day.
Best Practices
- Use Open-Meteo when possible (no limits)
- Set reasonable update intervals
- Don't share API keys publicly
- Monitor quota if using paid tiers
Troubleshooting
Provider Not Working
- Check internet connection
- Verify API key (if required)
- Check provider status page
- Try different provider
Inaccurate Forecasts
- Try different provider
- Check if provider is best for your region
- Compare multiple sources
- Report specific issues to provider
Rate Limit Errors
- Get your own API key (don't use default)
- Reduce update frequency
- Switch to Open-Meteo
- Use multiple providers
Provider Status
Check provider status:
- OpenWeather Status
- AccuWeather Status
- Open-Meteo: Check website
- Meteo France: Check website
Future Providers
OSS Weather may add more providers in the future. Suggestions welcome on GitHub.