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Hong Kong Observatory vs Sunrise-Sunset

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

APIHong Kong ObservatoryHEALTHY60Sunrise-SunsetHEALTHY97
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%99.02%
Uptime · 30d100%98.3%
P50 · ms1330204
P95 · ms36702206
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseHKO open data (see terms of use)n/a
Free tierFree, no keyUnlimited, attribution requested
Rate limitUnpublishedNo burst traffic
In directory since2026-07-052026-06-22
operationalpartialdownno data

Hong Kong Observatory vs Sunrise-Sunset: common questions

Which is more reliable, Hong Kong Observatory or Sunrise-Sunset?

On our scheduled checks, Hong Kong Observatory leads on measured uptime — Hong Kong Observatory at 100% versus Sunrise-Sunset at 99.02% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Which is faster, Hong Kong Observatory or Sunrise-Sunset?

Sunrise-Sunset has the lower median latency in our checks — Hong Kong Observatory responds in 1330 ms versus Sunrise-Sunset at 204 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.

Do Hong Kong Observatory and Sunrise-Sunset need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Hong Kong Observatory is callable with no signup, and Sunrise-Sunset is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Hong Kong Observatory and Sunrise-Sunset from the browser?

Yes — both Hong Kong Observatory and Sunrise-Sunset send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.

Are Hong Kong Observatory and Sunrise-Sunset free for commercial use?

Hong Kong Observatory has unclear commercial terms, and Sunrise-Sunset 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.