Kickbox vs Lobsters

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms592243
P95 · ms36301175
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — open disposable-address checkFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Kickbox vs Lobsters: common questions

Which is more reliable, Kickbox or Lobsters?

Both are neck-and-neck — Kickbox and Lobsters 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, Kickbox or Lobsters?

Lobsters has the lower median latency in our checks — Kickbox responds in 592 ms versus Lobsters at 243 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 Kickbox and Lobsters need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Kickbox is callable with no signup, and Lobsters is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Kickbox and Lobsters from the browser?

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

Are Kickbox and Lobsters free for commercial use?

Kickbox has unclear commercial terms, and Lobsters 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.