Shields vs Statistics of the World
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Shields vs Statistics of the World: common questions
Which is more reliable, Shields or Statistics of the World?
Both are neck-and-neck — Shields and Statistics of the World 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 Statistics of the World?
Shields has the lower median latency in our checks — Shields responds in 30 ms versus Statistics of the World at 743 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 Statistics of the World need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Shields is callable with no signup, and Statistics of the World is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Shields and Statistics of the World from the browser?
Yes — both Shields and Statistics of the World 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 Shields and Statistics of the World free for commercial use?
Shields has unclear commercial terms, and Statistics of the World 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.