Last.fm vs TMDb

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearno
Data licenseLast.fm terms — attribution requiredTMDb terms — attribution required
Free tierFree personal API keyFree personal API key
Rate limitUnpublished~50 req/sec documented ceiling
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Last.fm vs TMDb: common questions

Which is more reliable, Last.fm or TMDb?

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

Both ask you to authenticate — Last.fm uses an API key and TMDb uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call Last.fm and TMDb from the browser?

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

Last.fm has unclear commercial terms, and TMDb is personal/non-commercial only. 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.