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OpenSanctions vs Universities List

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

APIOpenSanctionsNEW—Universities ListNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesno
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

OpenSanctions vs Universities List: common questions

Which is more reliable, OpenSanctions or Universities List?

On our scheduled checks, Universities List leads on measured uptime — OpenSanctions at —% versus Universities List 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 OpenSanctions and Universities List need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — OpenSanctions is callable with no signup, and Universities List is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call OpenSanctions and Universities List from the browser?

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

Are OpenSanctions and Universities List free for commercial use?

OpenSanctions has unclear commercial terms, and Universities List 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.