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GOV.UK Pay API vs Stripe

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

APIGOV.UK Pay APINEW—StripeNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSnono
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFree tier — API key required
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

GOV.UK Pay API vs Stripe: common questions

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

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

Both ask you to authenticate — GOV.UK Pay API uses an API key and Stripe 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 GOV.UK Pay API and Stripe from the browser?

Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call GOV.UK Pay API and Stripe 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 Stripe free for commercial use?

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