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Open Notify vs Satellite Passes

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

APIOpen NotifyDYING—Satellite PassesNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSnoyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licensen/aUnverified
Free tierUnlimited (volunteer-run)Free — limits not published
Rate limitPlease be gentleUnpublished
In directory since2026-05-022026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Open Notify vs Satellite Passes: common questions

Which is more reliable, Open Notify or Satellite Passes?

On our scheduled checks, Satellite Passes leads on measured uptime — Open Notify at —% versus Satellite Passes 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 Notify and Satellite Passes need an API key?

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

Can I call Open Notify and Satellite Passes from the browser?

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

Are Open Notify and Satellite Passes free for commercial use?

Open Notify has unclear commercial terms, and Satellite Passes 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.