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GOV.UK Pay API vs Pick an Agency

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

APIGOV.UK Pay APIUNMONITORED—Pick an AgencyNEW—
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 Pick an Agency: common questions

Which is more reliable, GOV.UK Pay API or Pick an Agency?

Only Pick an Agency is on our probe schedule so far (—% uptime over 90 days). The other is catalogued but not yet live-checked, so we can't compare measured reliability head-to-head — check the uncovered API's own status page for now.

Do GOV.UK Pay API and Pick an Agency need an API key?

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

Can I call GOV.UK Pay API and Pick an Agency from the browser?

Only Pick an Agency 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 Pick an Agency free for commercial use?

GOV.UK Pay API has unclear commercial terms, and Pick an Agency 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.