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Nominatim (OSM) vs positionstack

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

APINominatim (OSM)HEALTHY96positionstackHEALTHY93
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms332455
P95 · ms9903328
AuthuserAgentapiKey
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial usenounclear
Data licenseODbL (OpenStreetMap)Unverified
Free tier1 req/sec, identified UA requiredFree tier — key may be required
Rate limit1/sec hard — per applicationUnpublished
In directory since2026-05-022026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Nominatim (OSM) vs positionstack: common questions

Which is more reliable, Nominatim (OSM) or positionstack?

Both are neck-and-neck — Nominatim (OSM) and positionstack each measure 100% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.

Which is faster, Nominatim (OSM) or positionstack?

Nominatim (OSM) has the lower median latency in our checks — Nominatim (OSM) responds in 332 ms versus positionstack at 455 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 positionstack need an API key?

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

Can I call Nominatim (OSM) and positionstack from the browser?

Only Nominatim (OSM) is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. positionstack needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are Nominatim (OSM) and positionstack free for commercial use?

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