OpenSanctions vs The Guardian
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
OpenSanctions vs The Guardian: common questions
Which is more reliable, OpenSanctions or The Guardian?
On our scheduled checks, OpenSanctions leads on measured uptime — OpenSanctions at 100% versus The Guardian at 50.6% 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, OpenSanctions or The Guardian?
OpenSanctions has the lower median latency in our checks — OpenSanctions responds in 170 ms versus The Guardian at 517 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 The Guardian need an API key?
OpenSanctions needs no key, while The Guardian requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for OpenSanctions first.
Can I call OpenSanctions and The Guardian from the browser?
Only OpenSanctions is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. The Guardian needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are OpenSanctions and The Guardian free for commercial use?
OpenSanctions has unclear commercial terms, and The Guardian 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.