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FoodData Central vs Foodish

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

APIFoodData CentralHEALTHY75FoodishDYING46
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d96.1%12.9%
Uptime · 30d93.1%15.5%
P50 · ms1134155
P95 · ms4112398
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified (open-source)
Free tierFree tier — API key may be required for productionFree — no key
Rate limit10 req/window · 9 remainingUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

FoodData Central vs Foodish: common questions

Which is more reliable, FoodData Central or Foodish?

On our scheduled checks, FoodData Central leads on measured uptime — FoodData Central at 96.1% versus Foodish at 12.9% 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, FoodData Central or Foodish?

Foodish has the lower median latency in our checks — FoodData Central responds in 1134 ms versus Foodish at 155 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 FoodData Central and Foodish need an API key?

Foodish needs no key, while FoodData Central requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Foodish first.

Can I call FoodData Central and Foodish from the browser?

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

Are FoodData Central and Foodish free for commercial use?

FoodData Central has unclear commercial terms, and Foodish 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.