bng2latlong vs What3Words

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d95.1%100%
Uptime · 30d95.0%100%
P50 · ms524391
P95 · ms24311181
AuthnoneapiKey
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree tier — key may be required
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

bng2latlong vs What3Words: common questions

Which is more reliable, bng2latlong or What3Words?

On our scheduled checks, What3Words leads on measured uptime — bng2latlong at 95.1% 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, bng2latlong or What3Words?

What3Words has the lower median latency in our checks — bng2latlong responds in 524 ms versus What3Words at 391 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 bng2latlong and What3Words need an API key?

bng2latlong needs no key, while What3Words requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for bng2latlong first.

Can I call bng2latlong and What3Words from the browser?

Only bng2latlong 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 bng2latlong and What3Words free for commercial use?

bng2latlong 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.