Magic: The Gathering vs xkcd

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d98.0%100%
Uptime · 30d96.7%100%
P50 · ms394164
P95 · ms35561070
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearno
Data licenseUnverifiedCC BY-NC 2.5
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree, no API key
Rate limit1000 req/window · 999 remainingUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Magic: The Gathering vs xkcd: common questions

Which is more reliable, Magic: The Gathering or xkcd?

On our scheduled checks, xkcd leads on measured uptime — Magic: The Gathering at 98.0% versus xkcd at 100% 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, Magic: The Gathering or xkcd?

xkcd has the lower median latency in our checks — Magic: The Gathering responds in 394 ms versus xkcd at 164 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 Magic: The Gathering and xkcd need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Magic: The Gathering is callable with no signup, and xkcd is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Magic: The Gathering and xkcd from the browser?

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

Are Magic: The Gathering and xkcd free for commercial use?

Magic: The Gathering has unclear commercial terms, and xkcd 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.