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Diffbot API vs USGS Water Services

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

APIDiffbot APINEW—USGS Water ServicesNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseUnverifiedPublic domain (U.S. Government work)
Free tierFree tier — API key may be required for productionFree — no API key required
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Diffbot API vs USGS Water Services: common questions

Which is more reliable, Diffbot API or USGS Water Services?

On our scheduled checks, USGS Water Services leads on measured uptime — Diffbot API at —% versus USGS Water Services 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 Diffbot API and USGS Water Services need an API key?

USGS Water Services needs no key, while Diffbot API requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for USGS Water Services first.

Can I call Diffbot API and USGS Water Services from the browser?

Yes — both Diffbot API and USGS Water Services send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.

Are Diffbot API and USGS Water Services free for commercial use?

Diffbot API has unclear commercial terms, and USGS Water Services 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.