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Giphy vs Imgur

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

APIGiphyREACHABLE—ImgurNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFree tier — API key required
Rate limitRetry-After: 0sUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Giphy vs Imgur: common questions

Which is more reliable, Giphy or Imgur?

On our scheduled checks, Imgur leads on measured uptime — Giphy at —% versus Imgur 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 Giphy and Imgur need an API key?

Both ask you to authenticate — Giphy uses an API key and Imgur uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call Giphy and Imgur from the browser?

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

Are Giphy and Imgur free for commercial use?

Giphy has unclear commercial terms, and Imgur 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.