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FilterLists vs National Vulnerability Database

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

APIFilterListsHEALTHY94National Vulnerability DatabaseHEALTHY79
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d98.1%87.5%
Uptime · 30d96.7%85.0%
P50 · ms339974
P95 · ms18134777
Authnonenone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseUnverifiedPublic domain (U.S. Government work)
Free tierFree — no key requiredFree — no key required (free key raises limits)
Rate limitUnpublished5 requests per rolling 30 seconds without an API key (50 with a free key)
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

FilterLists vs National Vulnerability Database: common questions

Which is more reliable, FilterLists or National Vulnerability Database?

On our scheduled checks, FilterLists leads on measured uptime — FilterLists at 98.1% versus National Vulnerability Database at 87.5% 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, FilterLists or National Vulnerability Database?

FilterLists has the lower median latency in our checks — FilterLists responds in 339 ms versus National Vulnerability Database at 974 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 FilterLists and National Vulnerability Database need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — FilterLists is callable with no signup, and National Vulnerability Database is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call FilterLists and National Vulnerability Database from the browser?

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

Are FilterLists and National Vulnerability Database free for commercial use?

FilterLists has unclear commercial terms, and National Vulnerability Database 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.