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Open Brewery DB vs openFDA API

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

APIOpen Brewery DBNEW—openFDA APINEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverified (open dataset)Unverified
Free tierFree — no keyFree — limits not published
Rate limit120 req/window · 114 remainingUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Open Brewery DB vs openFDA API: common questions

Which is more reliable, Open Brewery DB or openFDA API?

On our scheduled checks, openFDA API leads on measured uptime — Open Brewery DB at —% versus openFDA API 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 Open Brewery DB and openFDA API need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Open Brewery DB is callable with no signup, and openFDA API is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Open Brewery DB and openFDA API from the browser?

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

Are Open Brewery DB and openFDA API free for commercial use?

Open Brewery DB has unclear commercial terms, and openFDA API 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.