BdAPIs vs What3Words

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d94.4%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms683130
P95 · ms14071003
AuthnoneapiKey
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree, no API keyFree tier — key may be required
Rate limit100 req/window · 98 remaining · resets 324Unpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

BdAPIs vs What3Words: common questions

Which is more reliable, BdAPIs or What3Words?

On our scheduled checks, What3Words leads on measured uptime — BdAPIs at 94.4% versus What3Words 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, BdAPIs or What3Words?

What3Words has the lower median latency in our checks — BdAPIs responds in 683 ms versus What3Words at 130 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 BdAPIs and What3Words need an API key?

BdAPIs needs no key, while What3Words requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for BdAPIs first.

Can I call BdAPIs and What3Words from the browser?

Only BdAPIs is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. What3Words needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are BdAPIs and What3Words free for commercial use?

BdAPIs has unclear commercial terms, and What3Words 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.