REST Countries vs WHO Global Health Observatory API

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesunclear
Data licenseMPL-2.0Unverified
Free tierUnlimitedFree — limits not published
Rate limitNone publishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-05-022026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

REST Countries vs WHO Global Health Observatory API: common questions

Which is more reliable, REST Countries or WHO Global Health Observatory API?

On our scheduled checks, WHO Global Health Observatory API leads on measured uptime — REST Countries at —% versus WHO Global Health Observatory API 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 REST Countries and WHO Global Health Observatory API need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — REST Countries is callable with no signup, and WHO Global Health Observatory API is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call REST Countries and WHO Global Health Observatory API from the browser?

Only REST Countries is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. WHO Global Health Observatory API needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are REST Countries and WHO Global Health Observatory API free for commercial use?

REST Countries allows commercial use on its free tier, and WHO Global Health Observatory API 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.