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National Vulnerability Database vs VulDB

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

APINational Vulnerability DatabaseDYING78VulDBHEALTHY94
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d86.3%100%
Uptime · 30d83.3%100%
P50 · ms974360
P95 · ms47771138
AuthnoneapiKey
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesunclear
Data licensePublic domain (U.S. Government work)Unverified
Free tierFree — no key required (free key raises limits)Free tier — key may be required
Rate limit5 requests per rolling 30 seconds without an API key (50 with a free key)Unpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

National Vulnerability Database vs VulDB: common questions

Which is more reliable, National Vulnerability Database or VulDB?

On our scheduled checks, VulDB leads on measured uptime — National Vulnerability Database at 86.3% versus VulDB 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, National Vulnerability Database or VulDB?

VulDB has the lower median latency in our checks — National Vulnerability Database responds in 974 ms versus VulDB at 360 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 Vulnerability Database and VulDB need an API key?

National Vulnerability Database needs no key, while VulDB requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for National Vulnerability Database first.

Can I call National Vulnerability Database and VulDB from the browser?

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

Are National Vulnerability Database and VulDB free for commercial use?

National Vulnerability Database allows commercial use on its free tier, and VulDB 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.