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Open Food Facts API vs openFDA

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

APIOpen Food Facts APINEW—openFDANEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Open Food Facts API vs openFDA: common questions

Which is more reliable, Open Food Facts API or openFDA?

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

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

Can I call Open Food Facts API and openFDA from the browser?

Yes — both Open Food Facts API and openFDA 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 Open Food Facts API and openFDA free for commercial use?

Open Food Facts API has unclear commercial terms, and openFDA 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.