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BriefTape vs Frankfurter

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

APIBriefTapeUNMONITORED—FrankfurterHEALTHY—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseUnverifiedPublic data (ECB reference rates)
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredUnlimited — abuse-rate-limited only
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished, generous
In directory since2026-07-052026-05-02
operationalpartialdownno data

BriefTape vs Frankfurter: common questions

Which is more reliable, BriefTape or Frankfurter?

Only Frankfurter is on our probe schedule so far (—% uptime over 90 days). The other is catalogued but not yet live-checked, so we can't compare measured reliability head-to-head — check the uncovered API's own status page for now.

Do BriefTape and Frankfurter need an API key?

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

Can I call BriefTape and Frankfurter from the browser?

Yes — both BriefTape and Frankfurter 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 BriefTape and Frankfurter free for commercial use?

BriefTape has unclear commercial terms, and Frankfurter allows commercial use on its free tier. 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.