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FoodData Central vs NPPES

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

APIFoodData CentralNEW—NPPESNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseUnverifiedU.S. Government (public NPI data)
Free tierFree tier — API key may be required for productionFree — no key required
Rate limit10 req/window · 9 remainingUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

FoodData Central vs NPPES: common questions

Which is more reliable, FoodData Central or NPPES?

On our scheduled checks, NPPES leads on measured uptime — FoodData Central at —% versus NPPES 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 FoodData Central and NPPES need an API key?

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

Can I call FoodData Central and NPPES from the browser?

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

Are FoodData Central and NPPES free for commercial use?

FoodData Central has unclear commercial terms, and NPPES 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.