Data.gov vs Federal Register
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Data.gov vs Federal Register: common questions
Which is more reliable, Data.gov or Federal Register?
On our scheduled checks, Data.gov leads on measured uptime — Data.gov at 100% versus Federal Register 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, Data.gov or Federal Register?
Federal Register has the lower median latency in our checks — Data.gov responds in 931 ms versus Federal Register at 478 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 Data.gov and Federal Register need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Data.gov is callable with no signup, and Federal Register is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Data.gov and Federal Register from the browser?
Only Federal Register is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Data.gov needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are Data.gov and Federal Register free for commercial use?
Data.gov has unclear commercial terms, and Federal Register 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.