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Nominatim (OSM) vs openrouteservice.org

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

APINominatim (OSM)HEALTHY96openrouteservice.orgHEALTHY69
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%96.1%
Uptime · 30d100%93.3%
P50 · ms332531
P95 · ms9904446
AuthuserAgentapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial usenounclear
Data licenseODbL (OpenStreetMap)Unverified
Free tier1 req/sec, identified UA requiredFree tier — API key may be required for production
Rate limit1/sec hard — per application300 req/window · 299 remaining · resets 2026-07-08T16:35:00.355819Z
In directory since2026-05-022026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Nominatim (OSM) vs openrouteservice.org: common questions

Which is more reliable, Nominatim (OSM) or openrouteservice.org?

On our scheduled checks, Nominatim (OSM) leads on measured uptime — Nominatim (OSM) at 100% versus openrouteservice.org at 96.1% 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, Nominatim (OSM) or openrouteservice.org?

Nominatim (OSM) has the lower median latency in our checks — Nominatim (OSM) responds in 332 ms versus openrouteservice.org at 531 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 Nominatim (OSM) and openrouteservice.org need an API key?

Nominatim (OSM) needs no key, while openrouteservice.org requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Nominatim (OSM) first.

Can I call Nominatim (OSM) and openrouteservice.org from the browser?

Yes — both Nominatim (OSM) and openrouteservice.org 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 Nominatim (OSM) and openrouteservice.org free for commercial use?

Nominatim (OSM) is personal/non-commercial only, and openrouteservice.org 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.