Spoonacular vs TheMealDB

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — 50 points/dayFree — limits not published
Rate limit50 points/day on free planUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Spoonacular vs TheMealDB: common questions

Which is more reliable, Spoonacular or TheMealDB?

On our scheduled checks, TheMealDB leads on measured uptime — Spoonacular at —% versus TheMealDB at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Do Spoonacular and TheMealDB need an API key?

TheMealDB needs no key, while Spoonacular requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for TheMealDB first.

Can I call Spoonacular and TheMealDB from the browser?

Yes — both Spoonacular and TheMealDB 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 Spoonacular and TheMealDB free for commercial use?

Spoonacular has unclear commercial terms, and TheMealDB 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.