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ISO 3166 Updates API vs What3Words

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

APIISO 3166 Updates APIHEALTHY78What3WordsHEALTHY96
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms1402391
P95 · ms25261181
AuthnoneapiKey
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree tier — key may be required
Rate limit500 req/windowUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

ISO 3166 Updates API vs What3Words: common questions

Which is more reliable, ISO 3166 Updates API or What3Words?

Both are neck-and-neck — ISO 3166 Updates API and What3Words each measure 100% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.

Which is faster, ISO 3166 Updates API or What3Words?

What3Words has the lower median latency in our checks — ISO 3166 Updates API responds in 1402 ms versus What3Words at 391 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 ISO 3166 Updates API and What3Words need an API key?

ISO 3166 Updates API needs no key, while What3Words requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for ISO 3166 Updates API first.

Can I call ISO 3166 Updates API and What3Words from the browser?

Only ISO 3166 Updates API is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. What3Words needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are ISO 3166 Updates API and What3Words free for commercial use?

ISO 3166 Updates API has unclear commercial terms, and What3Words 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.