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OpenAlex vs USGS Water Services

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

APIOpenAlexNEW—USGS Water ServicesNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesyes
Data licenseCC0Public domain (U.S. Government work)
Free tierFree tier (~$1/day of usage); free API key available for moreFree — no API key required
Rate limitUsage-metered free tier (~$1/day per docs)Unpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

OpenAlex vs USGS Water Services: common questions

Which is more reliable, OpenAlex or USGS Water Services?

On our scheduled checks, USGS Water Services leads on measured uptime — OpenAlex at —% versus USGS Water Services 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 OpenAlex and USGS Water Services need an API key?

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

Can I call OpenAlex and USGS Water Services from the browser?

Yes — both OpenAlex and USGS Water Services 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 OpenAlex and USGS Water Services free for commercial use?

OpenAlex allows commercial use on its free tier, and USGS Water Services allows commercial use on its free tier. 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.