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National Grid ESO vs NDBC Buoy Data API

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

APINational Grid ESOHEALTHY92NDBC Buoy Data APIDYING83
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%84.3%
Uptime · 30d100%73.3%
P50 · ms609575
P95 · ms13111068
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseNESO Open Data Licence (OGL-based); varies per datasetUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

National Grid ESO vs NDBC Buoy Data API: common questions

Which is more reliable, National Grid ESO or NDBC Buoy Data API?

On our scheduled checks, National Grid ESO leads on measured uptime — National Grid ESO at 100% versus NDBC Buoy Data API at 84.3% 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, National Grid ESO or NDBC Buoy Data API?

NDBC Buoy Data API has the lower median latency in our checks — National Grid ESO responds in 609 ms versus NDBC Buoy Data API at 575 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 National Grid ESO and NDBC Buoy Data API need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — National Grid ESO is callable with no signup, and NDBC Buoy Data API is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call National Grid ESO and NDBC Buoy Data API from the browser?

Only National Grid ESO is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. NDBC Buoy Data API needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are National Grid ESO and NDBC Buoy Data API free for commercial use?

National Grid ESO has unclear commercial terms, and NDBC Buoy Data 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.