OpenSanctions vs REST Countries
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
OpenSanctions vs REST Countries: common questions
Which is more reliable, OpenSanctions or REST Countries?
Both are neck-and-neck — OpenSanctions and REST Countries each measure 100% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.
Which is faster, OpenSanctions or REST Countries?
OpenSanctions has the lower median latency in our checks — OpenSanctions responds in 170 ms versus REST Countries at 274 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 OpenSanctions and REST Countries need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — OpenSanctions is callable with no signup, and REST Countries is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call OpenSanctions and REST Countries from the browser?
Yes — both OpenSanctions and REST Countries 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 OpenSanctions and REST Countries free for commercial use?
OpenSanctions has unclear commercial terms, and REST Countries 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.