Coffee vs openFDA
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Coffee vs openFDA: common questions
Which is more reliable, Coffee or openFDA?
On our scheduled checks, Coffee leads on measured uptime — Coffee at 99.02% versus openFDA at 94.1% 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 openFDA?
Coffee has the lower median latency in our checks — Coffee responds in 698 ms versus openFDA at 1187 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 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.