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Barter.VG vs Scryfall

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIBarter.VGHEALTHY95ScryfallHEALTHY70
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d99.04%94.2%
Uptime · 30d100%95.0%
P50 · ms252470
P95 · ms8212767
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedCard data free to use; MTG content © Wizards of the Coast (see docs)
Free tierFree — no keyFree, no API key required
Rate limitUnpublished~10 requests/second; docs ask for 50-100 ms between requests
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Barter.VG vs Scryfall: common questions

Which is more reliable, Barter.VG or Scryfall?

On our scheduled checks, Barter.VG leads on measured uptime — Barter.VG at 99.04% versus Scryfall at 94.2% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Which is faster, Barter.VG or Scryfall?

Barter.VG has the lower median latency in our checks — Barter.VG responds in 252 ms versus Scryfall at 470 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.

Do Barter.VG and Scryfall need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Barter.VG is callable with no signup, and Scryfall is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Barter.VG and Scryfall from the browser?

Only Barter.VG is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Scryfall needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are Barter.VG and Scryfall free for commercial use?

Barter.VG has unclear commercial terms, and Scryfall has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.