Steam vs xkcd
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Steam vs xkcd: common questions
Which is more reliable, Steam or xkcd?
On our scheduled checks, xkcd leads on measured uptime — Steam at 88.2% versus xkcd at 100% 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, Steam or xkcd?
xkcd has the lower median latency in our checks — Steam responds in 268 ms versus xkcd at 164 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 Steam and xkcd need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Steam is callable with no signup, and xkcd is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Steam and xkcd from the browser?
Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call Steam and xkcd from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.
Are Steam and xkcd free for commercial use?
Steam has unclear commercial terms, and xkcd is personal/non-commercial only. 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.