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Last.fm vs Radio Browser

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

APILast.fmREACHABLE—Radio BrowserNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseLast.fm terms — attribution requiredUnverified
Free tierFree personal API keyFree and open source — no key
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished (clients asked to send a descriptive User-Agent)
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Last.fm vs Radio Browser: common questions

Which is more reliable, Last.fm or Radio Browser?

On our scheduled checks, Radio Browser leads on measured uptime — Last.fm at —% versus Radio Browser 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 Last.fm and Radio Browser need an API key?

Radio Browser needs no key, while Last.fm requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Radio Browser first.

Can I call Last.fm and Radio Browser from the browser?

Yes — both Last.fm and Radio Browser 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 Last.fm and Radio Browser free for commercial use?

Last.fm has unclear commercial terms, and Radio Browser 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.