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GOV.UK Pay API vs Helium

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

APIGOV.UK Pay APINEW—HeliumNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSnono
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFirst 50 queries per IP free, no key (paid API key beyond, ~$0.02/query)
Rate limitUnpublished50 free queries per IP subnet
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

GOV.UK Pay API vs Helium: common questions

Which is more reliable, GOV.UK Pay API or Helium?

On our scheduled checks, Helium leads on measured uptime — GOV.UK Pay API at —% versus Helium 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 GOV.UK Pay API and Helium need an API key?

Helium needs no key, while GOV.UK Pay API requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Helium first.

Can I call GOV.UK Pay API and Helium from the browser?

Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call GOV.UK Pay API and Helium from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.

Are GOV.UK Pay API and Helium free for commercial use?

GOV.UK Pay API has unclear commercial terms, and Helium 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.