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Scryfall vs Steam

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

APIScryfallHEALTHY71SteamHEALTHY91
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d96.1%88.2%
Uptime · 30d98.3%85.0%
P50 · ms470268
P95 · ms2767486
Authnonenone
CORSyesno
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseCard data free to use; MTG content © Wizards of the Coast (see docs)Unverified
Free tierFree, no API key requiredFree, no API key
Rate limit~10 requests/second; docs ask for 50-100 ms between requestsUnpublished (undocumented endpoint; IP rate-limited)
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Scryfall vs Steam: common questions

Which is more reliable, Scryfall or Steam?

On our scheduled checks, Scryfall leads on measured uptime — Scryfall at 96.1% versus Steam at 88.2% 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, Scryfall or Steam?

Steam has the lower median latency in our checks — Scryfall responds in 470 ms versus Steam at 268 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 Scryfall and Steam need an API key?

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

Can I call Scryfall and Steam from the browser?

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

Are Scryfall and Steam free for commercial use?

Scryfall has unclear commercial terms, and Steam 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.