Shields vs Sofiaplan
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Shields vs Sofiaplan: common questions
Which is more reliable, Shields or Sofiaplan?
Both are neck-and-neck — Shields and Sofiaplan 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, Shields or Sofiaplan?
Shields has the lower median latency in our checks — Shields responds in 30 ms versus Sofiaplan at 1666 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 Shields and Sofiaplan need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Shields is callable with no signup, and Sofiaplan is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Shields and Sofiaplan from the browser?
Only Shields is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Sofiaplan needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are Shields and Sofiaplan free for commercial use?
Shields has unclear commercial terms, and Sofiaplan 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.