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FoodData Central vs Humanitarian Data Exchange

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

APIFoodData CentralHEALTHY76Humanitarian Data ExchangeHEALTHY88
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d98.0%98.0%
Uptime · 30d96.7%96.7%
P50 · ms1726729
P95 · ms34532819
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key may be required for productionFree — limits not published
Rate limit10 req/window · 9 remainingUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

FoodData Central vs Humanitarian Data Exchange: common questions

Which is more reliable, FoodData Central or Humanitarian Data Exchange?

Both are neck-and-neck — FoodData Central and Humanitarian Data Exchange each measure 98.0% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.

Which is faster, FoodData Central or Humanitarian Data Exchange?

Humanitarian Data Exchange has the lower median latency in our checks — FoodData Central responds in 1726 ms versus Humanitarian Data Exchange at 729 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 Humanitarian Data Exchange need an API key?

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

Can I call FoodData Central and Humanitarian Data Exchange from the browser?

Yes — both FoodData Central and Humanitarian Data Exchange 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 FoodData Central and Humanitarian Data Exchange free for commercial use?

FoodData Central has unclear commercial terms, and Humanitarian Data Exchange 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.