Shields vs The Guardian
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Shields vs The Guardian: common questions
Which is more reliable, Shields or The Guardian?
On our scheduled checks, Shields leads on measured uptime — Shields at 100% versus The Guardian at 98.0% 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, Shields or The Guardian?
Shields has the lower median latency in our checks — Shields responds in 30 ms versus The Guardian at 742 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 The Guardian need an API key?
Shields needs no key, while The Guardian requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Shields first.
Can I call Shields and The Guardian from the browser?
Yes — both Shields and The Guardian 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 The Guardian free for commercial use?
Shields has unclear commercial terms, and The Guardian 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.