RecipeAPI vs Spoonacular

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree tier — API key requiredFree — 50 points/day
Rate limitUnpublished50 points/day on free plan
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

RecipeAPI vs Spoonacular: common questions

Which is more reliable, RecipeAPI or Spoonacular?

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

Both ask you to authenticate — RecipeAPI uses an API key and Spoonacular uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call RecipeAPI and Spoonacular from the browser?

Yes — both RecipeAPI and Spoonacular 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 RecipeAPI and Spoonacular free for commercial use?

RecipeAPI has unclear commercial terms, and Spoonacular 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.