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FIRST News API vs Photon API

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

APIFIRST News APIHEALTHY85Photon APIHEALTHY91
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%99.02%
Uptime · 30d100%98.3%
P50 · ms780710
P95 · ms15951598
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

FIRST News API vs Photon API: common questions

Which is more reliable, FIRST News API or Photon API?

On our scheduled checks, FIRST News API leads on measured uptime — FIRST News API at 100% versus Photon API 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, FIRST News API or Photon API?

Photon API has the lower median latency in our checks — FIRST News API responds in 780 ms versus Photon API at 710 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 FIRST News API and Photon API need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — FIRST News API is callable with no signup, and Photon API is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call FIRST News API and Photon API from the browser?

Yes — both FIRST News API and Photon API 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 FIRST News API and Photon API free for commercial use?

FIRST News API has unclear commercial terms, and Photon 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.