7. Data Access Channels
Overview of Access Methods
| Channel | Best For | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile App (iOS/Android) | Field work, real-time monitoring | https://airqo.africa/products/mobile-app |
| Analytics Platform | Researchers, visualisation, historical analysis, CSV export | https://airqo.africa/products/analytics |
| API (RESTful) | Programmatic, large-scale, automated pipelines | https://airqo.africa/products/api |
Downloading Large Historical Datasets
The Analytics Platform limits single exports to approximately three months of data. This is an intentional, permanent design decision to ensure equitable system performance for all users. For multi-year datasets, download data in quarterly batches and combine the files in your analysis software.
For automated or large-scale data access, use the AirQo API with appropriate rate-limiting in your scripts. Full guidance on batch workflows and API access is provided in the companion fair usage document.
API Pricing Tiers
| Tier | Cost | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Small-scale academic research |
| Standard | $50/month | Larger research projects |
| Premium | $150/month | High-volume commercial or institutional use |
Academic researchers requiring higher API access than the free tier provides are encouraged to contact support@airqo.net. We support academic research and can often accommodate reasonable requests.
Data Access Costs
Data access is free of charge across the mobile app and Analytics Platform, consistent with our open-access philosophy. API subscription packages help subsidise computing infrastructure costs while maintaining free access for standard research use.