BC Ferries vs OpenVan
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
BC Ferries vs OpenVan: common questions
Which is more reliable, BC Ferries or OpenVan?
On our scheduled checks, OpenVan leads on measured uptime — BC Ferries at 99.02% versus OpenVan at 100% 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, BC Ferries or OpenVan?
BC Ferries has the lower median latency in our checks — BC Ferries responds in 795 ms versus OpenVan at 864 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 BC Ferries and OpenVan need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — BC Ferries is callable with no signup, and OpenVan is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call BC Ferries and OpenVan from the browser?
Yes — both BC Ferries and OpenVan send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.
Are BC Ferries and OpenVan free for commercial use?
BC Ferries has unclear commercial terms, and OpenVan 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.