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National Grid ESO vs openSenseMap

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

APINational Grid ESONEW—openSenseMapNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseNESO Open Data Licence (OGL-based); varies per datasetOpen data (license set per senseBox; often public domain)
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree (open-source citizen-science platform)
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

National Grid ESO vs openSenseMap: common questions

Which is more reliable, National Grid ESO or openSenseMap?

On our scheduled checks, openSenseMap leads on measured uptime — National Grid ESO at —% versus openSenseMap 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 National Grid ESO and openSenseMap need an API key?

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

Can I call National Grid ESO and openSenseMap from the browser?

Yes — both National Grid ESO and openSenseMap 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 National Grid ESO and openSenseMap free for commercial use?

National Grid ESO has unclear commercial terms, and openSenseMap 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.