Coffee vs FoodData Central
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Coffee vs FoodData Central: common questions
Which is more reliable, Coffee or FoodData Central?
On our scheduled checks, Coffee leads on measured uptime — Coffee at 99.02% versus FoodData Central at 98.0% 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, Coffee or FoodData Central?
Coffee has the lower median latency in our checks — Coffee responds in 698 ms versus FoodData Central at 1726 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 Coffee and FoodData Central need an API key?
Coffee needs no key, while FoodData Central requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Coffee first.
Can I call Coffee and FoodData Central from the browser?
Only FoodData Central is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Coffee needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are Coffee and FoodData Central free for commercial use?
Coffee has unclear commercial terms, and FoodData Central 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.