Rick and Morty vs xkcd

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms51164
P95 · ms4351070
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearno
Data licenseUnverified; open-source projectCC BY-NC 2.5
Free tierFree, no API key requiredFree, no API key
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Rick and Morty vs xkcd: common questions

Which is more reliable, Rick and Morty or xkcd?

Both are neck-and-neck — Rick and Morty and xkcd 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, Rick and Morty or xkcd?

Rick and Morty has the lower median latency in our checks — Rick and Morty responds in 51 ms versus xkcd at 164 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 Rick and Morty and xkcd need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Rick and Morty is callable with no signup, and xkcd is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Rick and Morty and xkcd from the browser?

Only Rick and Morty is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. xkcd needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are Rick and Morty and xkcd free for commercial use?

Rick and Morty has unclear commercial terms, and xkcd 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.