Lobsters vs Telegraph
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Lobsters vs Telegraph: common questions
Which is more reliable, Lobsters or Telegraph?
On our scheduled checks, Lobsters leads on measured uptime — Lobsters at 100% versus Telegraph at 99.02% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.
Which is faster, Lobsters or Telegraph?
Lobsters has the lower median latency in our checks — Lobsters responds in 243 ms versus Telegraph at 801 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 Telegraph need an API key?
Lobsters needs no key, while Telegraph requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Lobsters first.
Can I call Lobsters and Telegraph from the browser?
Only Telegraph 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 Lobsters and Telegraph free for commercial use?
Lobsters has unclear commercial terms, and Telegraph 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.