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Currencylayer vs Plaid API

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

APICurrencylayerNEW—Plaid APINEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — key may be requiredFree tier — API key required
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Currencylayer vs Plaid API: common questions

Which is more reliable, Currencylayer or Plaid API?

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

Both ask you to authenticate — Currencylayer uses an API key and Plaid API uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call Currencylayer and Plaid API from the browser?

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

Are Currencylayer and Plaid API free for commercial use?

Currencylayer has unclear commercial terms, and Plaid API 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.