Open Food Facts vs openFDA API
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Open Food Facts vs openFDA API: common questions
Which is more reliable, Open Food Facts or openFDA API?
On our scheduled checks, openFDA API leads on measured uptime — Open Food Facts at 39.2% versus openFDA API at 100% 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, Open Food Facts or openFDA API?
openFDA API has the lower median latency in our checks — Open Food Facts responds in 1556 ms versus openFDA API at 806 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 Open Food Facts and openFDA API need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Open Food Facts 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 Food Facts and openFDA API from the browser?
Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call Open Food Facts and openFDA API from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.
Are Open Food Facts and openFDA API free for commercial use?
Open Food Facts 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.