Florida Man vs Shields
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Florida Man vs Shields: common questions
Which is more reliable, Florida Man or Shields?
On our scheduled checks, Shields leads on measured uptime — Florida Man at —% versus Shields 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 Florida Man and Shields need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Florida Man is callable with no signup, and Shields is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Florida Man and Shields from the browser?
Yes — both Florida Man and Shields 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 Florida Man and Shields free for commercial use?
Florida Man allows commercial use on its free tier, and Shields 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.