Cat Facts vs iNaturalist
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Cat Facts vs iNaturalist: common questions
Which is more reliable, Cat Facts or iNaturalist?
On our scheduled checks, Cat Facts leads on measured uptime — Cat Facts at 99.44% versus iNaturalist at 24.7% 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, Cat Facts or iNaturalist?
Cat Facts has the lower median latency in our checks — Cat Facts responds in 146 ms versus iNaturalist at 689 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 Cat Facts and iNaturalist need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Cat Facts is callable with no signup, and iNaturalist is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Cat Facts and iNaturalist from the browser?
Yes — both Cat Facts and iNaturalist 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 Cat Facts and iNaturalist free for commercial use?
Cat Facts has unclear commercial terms, and iNaturalist 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.