Radio Browser vs TMDb

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d95.1%100%
Uptime · 30d98.3%100%
P50 · ms556352
P95 · ms24311528
AuthnoneapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearno
Data licenseUnverifiedTMDb terms — attribution required
Free tierFree and open source — no keyFree personal API key
Rate limitUnpublished (clients asked to send a descriptive User-Agent)~50 req/sec documented ceiling
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Radio Browser vs TMDb: common questions

Which is more reliable, Radio Browser or TMDb?

On our scheduled checks, TMDb leads on measured uptime — Radio Browser at 95.1% versus TMDb 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, Radio Browser or TMDb?

TMDb has the lower median latency in our checks — Radio Browser responds in 556 ms versus TMDb at 352 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 Radio Browser and TMDb need an API key?

Radio Browser needs no key, while TMDb requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Radio Browser first.

Can I call Radio Browser and TMDb from the browser?

Yes — both Radio Browser and TMDb 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 Radio Browser and TMDb free for commercial use?

Radio Browser has unclear commercial terms, and TMDb is personal/non-commercial only. 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.