shipapis
StarSubmit an APISubmit API

openrouteservice.org vs Nominatim (OSM)

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

APIopenrouteservice.orgUNMONITORED—Nominatim (OSM)HEALTHY—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyuserAgent
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearno
Data licenseUnverifiedODbL (OpenStreetMap)
Free tierFree tier — API key may be required for production1 req/sec, identified UA required
Rate limitUnpublished1/sec hard — per application
In directory since2026-07-052026-05-02
operationalpartialdownno data

openrouteservice.org vs Nominatim (OSM): common questions

Which is more reliable, openrouteservice.org or Nominatim (OSM)?

Only Nominatim (OSM) is on our probe schedule so far (—% uptime over 90 days). The other is catalogued but not yet live-checked, so we can't compare measured reliability head-to-head — check the uncovered API's own status page for now.

Do openrouteservice.org and Nominatim (OSM) need an API key?

Nominatim (OSM) needs no key, while openrouteservice.org requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Nominatim (OSM) first.

Can I call openrouteservice.org and Nominatim (OSM) from the browser?

Yes — both openrouteservice.org and Nominatim (OSM) 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 openrouteservice.org and Nominatim (OSM) free for commercial use?

openrouteservice.org has unclear commercial terms, and Nominatim (OSM) is personal/non-commercial only. 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.