iNaturalist vs RandomDuck
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
iNaturalist vs RandomDuck: common questions
Which is more reliable, iNaturalist or RandomDuck?
On our scheduled checks, RandomDuck leads on measured uptime — iNaturalist at 25.5% versus RandomDuck at 100% 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, iNaturalist or RandomDuck?
RandomDuck has the lower median latency in our checks — iNaturalist responds in 1140 ms versus RandomDuck at 459 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 iNaturalist and RandomDuck need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — iNaturalist is callable with no signup, and RandomDuck is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call iNaturalist and RandomDuck from the browser?
Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call iNaturalist and RandomDuck from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.
Are iNaturalist and RandomDuck free for commercial use?
iNaturalist has unclear commercial terms, and RandomDuck 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.