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GOV.UK Pay API vs Municipal Finance API

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

APIGOV.UK Pay APINEW—Municipal Finance APINEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

GOV.UK Pay API vs Municipal Finance API: common questions

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

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

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

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

Only Municipal Finance API is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. GOV.UK Pay API needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

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

GOV.UK Pay API has unclear commercial terms, and Municipal Finance API 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.