What it does
WeatherAPI.com is a hosted weather and geolocation API that returns JSON or XML. Its endpoints cover current conditions, forecasts, historical weather, marine data, air quality, search, time zones and more. A request combines an endpoint, location and API key; the response can feed a weather panel, a location-aware feature or a forecast-dependent workflow. The service has a free monthly call allowance and paid plans with longer ranges and additional data.
Start with one location and endpoint
Create a WeatherAPI.com account, copy the API key and choose an endpoint for the task. For a small forecast card, the documented request uses forecast.json, a q location and a days value. Illustrative request:
curl "https://api.weatherapi.com/v1/forecast.json?key=YOUR_API_KEY&q=London&days=3"
The JSON response includes a location object and forecast data that an application can map to its own display. The q parameter accepts a city, coordinates, postcode, ZIP code, airport code or IP address. The docs also describe XML output and official SDKs for several languages, so the first integration does not require a vendor-specific client library.
The free plan currently lists 100,000 calls per month, real-time data and a three-day forecast, with no payment card required. Paid tiers expand call volume and data access, including longer forecasts, historical depth, bulk requests and specialist endpoints. Check endpoint eligibility and plan quotas before designing a feature around history or long-range forecasts; the product's wide catalog does not mean every endpoint is included at every tier.
Strengths
- One API key and request style cover multiple weather, location and related data endpoints.
- The docs show JSON and XML responses, location search options and official client libraries for common languages.
- The pricing page publishes a free tier with a monthly request allowance and identifies plan-specific data limits.
Watch out for
- The free plan has a lower forecast horizon and call allowance than paid plans; historical and specialist data are also tier-dependent.
Best for
- Adding current conditions and short-range forecasts to a web or mobile application.
- Products that need weather history, location lookup or weather-aware planning through a single API provider.
Sources
- Free Weather API | WeatherAPI.com (Oct 25, 2026)
- Weather API Documentation: Endpoints, Parameters & Examples - WeatherAPI.com (Oct 25, 2026)
- Weather API Pricing: Free Plan & Paid Plans - WeatherAPI.com (Oct 25, 2026)