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PokéAPI vs Scryfall

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

APIPokéAPIHEALTHY—ScryfallNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial usenounclear
Data licenseFair-use fan dataCard data free to use; MTG content © Wizards of the Coast (see docs)
Free tierUnlimited (be reasonable)Free, no API key required
Rate limitNone — locally cache please~10 requests/second; docs ask for 50-100 ms between requests
In directory since2026-05-022026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

PokéAPI vs Scryfall: common questions

Which is more reliable, PokéAPI or Scryfall?

On our scheduled checks, Scryfall leads on measured uptime — PokéAPI at —% versus Scryfall 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 PokéAPI and Scryfall need an API key?

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

Can I call PokéAPI and Scryfall from the browser?

Yes — both PokéAPI and Scryfall 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 PokéAPI and Scryfall free for commercial use?

PokéAPI is personal/non-commercial only, and Scryfall 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.