shipapis
StarSubmit an APISubmit API

The Guardian vs REST Countries

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

APIThe GuardianNEW—REST CountriesHEALTHY—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseUnverifiedMPL-2.0
Free tierFree developer key — registration requiredUnlimited
Rate limit5000 calls/day (developer tier)None published
In directory since2026-07-052026-05-02
operationalpartialdownno data

The Guardian vs REST Countries: common questions

Which is more reliable, The Guardian or REST Countries?

On our scheduled checks, REST Countries leads on measured uptime — The Guardian at —% versus REST Countries 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 The Guardian and REST Countries need an API key?

REST Countries needs no key, while The Guardian requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for REST Countries first.

Can I call The Guardian and REST Countries from the browser?

Yes — both The Guardian and REST Countries 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 The Guardian and REST Countries free for commercial use?

The Guardian has unclear commercial terms, and REST Countries allows commercial use on its free tier. 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.