Quandl vs Shields
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Quandl vs Shields: common questions
Which is more reliable, Quandl or Shields?
Both are neck-and-neck — Quandl and Shields 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, Quandl or Shields?
Shields has the lower median latency in our checks — Quandl responds in 823 ms versus Shields at 30 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 Quandl and Shields need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Quandl is callable with no signup, and Shields is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Quandl and Shields from the browser?
Only Shields is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Quandl needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are Quandl and Shields free for commercial use?
Quandl has unclear commercial terms, and Shields 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.