Pirate Weather API vs WeatherTotals API

Two free Weather APIs compared on access, reliability and developer ratings, using data from our daily health checks.

The verdict

Choose Pirate Weather API if its data fits your use case better; on access and reliability it's level with WeatherTotals API.
Choose WeatherTotals API if its data fits your use case better; on access and reliability it's level with Pirate Weather API.

	Pirate Weather API	WeatherTotals API
What it does	Free weather API with forecast data similar to Dark Sky.	Measured US snow, rain, hail and aurora totals by state and city.
Provider	Pirate Weather	WeatherTotals
API key	Not needed	Not needed
HTTPS	Yes	Yes
CORS (browser calls)	Yes	Yes
Status today	Online · 419 ms	Online · 491 ms
Uptime (30 days)	Up	Up
Developer rating	Not rated yet	Not rated yet
Price	Free / free tier	Free / free tier

Free weather API with forecast data similar to Dark Sky.

Strengths

Measured US snow, rain, hail and aurora totals by state and city.

Get WeatherTotals figures as JSON, free, no key or signup. Same numbers as the pages, updated every 5 to 60 minutes. CORS open for browser calls.

Strengths

Prototyping or a tutorial? Pick the one that needs no API key (both qualify).
Calling from a web page? You need CORS. Otherwise route requests through your own server or a serverless function.
Going to production? Favour HTTPS, a strong uptime record and a provider with clear rate limits and terms. Check each API's docs before you commit.
Still unsure? Both are free to try: send one request to each and compare the data you get back.

Neither needs an API key; you can call both straight away.