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Crossref Metadata Search vs Wiktionary

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

APICrossref Metadata SearchHEALTHY90WiktionaryHEALTHY88
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d97.1%99.02%
Uptime · 30d95.0%100%
P50 · ms522542
P95 · ms26834709
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesyes
Data licenseOpen Crossref metadata (much is CC0)Content under CC BY-SA 4.0 / GFDL
Free tierFree, no key (public pool)Free — public MediaWiki action API
Rate limit5 requests/second, 1 concurrent (public pool, per X-Rate-Limit headers)No hard published cap; Wikimedia User-Agent policy and request-etiquette apply
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Crossref Metadata Search vs Wiktionary: common questions

Which is more reliable, Crossref Metadata Search or Wiktionary?

On our scheduled checks, Wiktionary leads on measured uptime — Crossref Metadata Search at 97.1% versus Wiktionary at 99.02% 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, Crossref Metadata Search or Wiktionary?

Crossref Metadata Search has the lower median latency in our checks — Crossref Metadata Search responds in 522 ms versus Wiktionary at 542 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 Crossref Metadata Search and Wiktionary need an API key?

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

Can I call Crossref Metadata Search and Wiktionary from the browser?

Only Crossref Metadata Search is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Wiktionary needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are Crossref Metadata Search and Wiktionary free for commercial use?

Crossref Metadata Search allows commercial use on its free tier, and Wiktionary allows commercial use on its free tier. 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.