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Coffee vs openFDA

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

APICoffeeNEW—openFDANEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — no API keyFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Coffee vs openFDA: common questions

Which is more reliable, Coffee or openFDA?

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

Neither needs a paid key — Coffee is callable with no signup, and openFDA is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Coffee and openFDA from the browser?

Only openFDA 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 openFDA free for commercial use?

Coffee has unclear commercial terms, and openFDA 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.