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MusicBrainz vs Simkl

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

APIMusicBrainzNEW—SimklNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesunclear
Data licenseCore data CC0; some supplementary data CC BY-NC-SA 3.0Simkl terms — user-contributed data
Free tierFree — no key requiredFree read routes; client_id for search
Rate limit~1 request/second per IP; descriptive User-Agent required1 req/s documented
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

MusicBrainz vs Simkl: common questions

Which is more reliable, MusicBrainz or Simkl?

On our scheduled checks, Simkl leads on measured uptime — MusicBrainz at —% versus Simkl 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 MusicBrainz and Simkl need an API key?

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

Can I call MusicBrainz and Simkl from the browser?

Yes — both MusicBrainz and Simkl 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 MusicBrainz and Simkl free for commercial use?

MusicBrainz allows commercial use on its free tier, and Simkl 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.