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Lobsters vs Public Time API

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

APILobstersHEALTHY97Public Time APIHEALTHY98
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms243242
P95 · ms1175382
Authnonenone
CORSnono
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Lobsters vs Public Time API: common questions

Which is more reliable, Lobsters or Public Time API?

Both are neck-and-neck — Lobsters and Public Time API 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, Lobsters or Public Time API?

Public Time API has the lower median latency in our checks — Lobsters responds in 243 ms versus Public Time API at 242 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 Lobsters and Public Time API need an API key?

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

Can I call Lobsters and Public Time API from the browser?

Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call Lobsters and Public Time API from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.

Are Lobsters and Public Time API free for commercial use?

Lobsters has unclear commercial terms, and Public Time API 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.