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NASA APOD vs Noctua

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

APINASA APODHEALTHY—NoctuaNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesunclear
Data licensePublic domain (US Gov)Unverified
Free tier1,000 req/hour with free keyFree — limits not published
Rate limitDEMO_KEY: 30/hour, 50/dayUnpublished
In directory since2026-05-022026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

NASA APOD vs Noctua: common questions

Which is more reliable, NASA APOD or Noctua?

On our scheduled checks, Noctua leads on measured uptime — NASA APOD at —% versus Noctua 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 NASA APOD and Noctua need an API key?

Noctua needs no key, while NASA APOD requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Noctua first.

Can I call NASA APOD and Noctua from the browser?

Only NASA APOD is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Noctua needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are NASA APOD and Noctua free for commercial use?

NASA APOD allows commercial use on its free tier, and Noctua 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.