NPPES vs OpenLigaDB

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms9101083
P95 · ms20712484
Authnonenone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesunclear
Data licenseU.S. Government (public NPI data)Unverified
Free tierFree — no key requiredFree — no key
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

NPPES vs OpenLigaDB: common questions

Which is more reliable, NPPES or OpenLigaDB?

Both are neck-and-neck — NPPES and OpenLigaDB 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, NPPES or OpenLigaDB?

NPPES has the lower median latency in our checks — NPPES responds in 910 ms versus OpenLigaDB at 1083 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 NPPES and OpenLigaDB need an API key?

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

Can I call NPPES and OpenLigaDB from the browser?

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

Are NPPES and OpenLigaDB free for commercial use?

NPPES allows commercial use on its free tier, and OpenLigaDB 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.