Binlist vs Helium

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
Authnonenone
CORSnono
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — no key (requires 'Accept-Version: 3' header)First 50 queries per IP free, no key (paid API key beyond, ~$0.02/query)
Rate limitRate limited for unauthenticated use; exact limit unpublished50 free queries per IP subnet
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Binlist vs Helium: common questions

Which is more reliable, Binlist or Helium?

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

Do Binlist and Helium need an API key?

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

Can I call Binlist and Helium from the browser?

Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call Binlist and Helium from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.

Are Binlist and Helium free for commercial use?

Binlist has unclear commercial terms, and Helium 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.