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CarAPI vs Smartcar

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

APICarAPINEW—SmartcarNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSnono
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key may be required for productionFree tier — API key required
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

CarAPI vs Smartcar: common questions

Which is more reliable, CarAPI or Smartcar?

On our scheduled checks, Smartcar leads on measured uptime — CarAPI at —% versus Smartcar 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 CarAPI and Smartcar need an API key?

Both ask you to authenticate — CarAPI uses an API key and Smartcar uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call CarAPI and Smartcar from the browser?

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

Are CarAPI and Smartcar free for commercial use?

CarAPI has unclear commercial terms, and Smartcar 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.