Public Time API vs The Colony
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Public Time API vs The Colony: common questions
Which is more reliable, Public Time API or The Colony?
On our scheduled checks, The Colony leads on measured uptime — Public Time API at 99.44% versus The Colony at 100% 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, Public Time API or The Colony?
Public Time API has the lower median latency in our checks — Public Time API responds in 311 ms versus The Colony at 384 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 Public Time API and The Colony need an API key?
Public Time API needs no key, while The Colony requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Public Time API first.
Can I call Public Time API and The Colony from the browser?
Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call Public Time API and The Colony from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.
Are Public Time API and The Colony free for commercial use?
Public Time API has unclear commercial terms, and The Colony 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.