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TMDb vs TVDB

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

APITMDbREACHABLE—TVDBREACHABLE—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial usenounclear
Data licenseTMDb terms — attribution requiredTVDB terms — user-contributed data
Free tierFree personal API keyFree personal API key
Rate limit~50 req/sec documented ceilingUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

TMDb vs TVDB: common questions

Which is more reliable, TMDb or TVDB?

On our scheduled checks, TVDB leads on measured uptime — TMDb at —% versus TVDB 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 TMDb and TVDB need an API key?

Both ask you to authenticate — TMDb uses an API key and TVDB uses an API key. Each key is free to obtain; the Auth and Card-required rows above spell out the signup terms.

Can I call TMDb and TVDB from the browser?

Yes — both TMDb and TVDB 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 TMDb and TVDB free for commercial use?

TMDb is personal/non-commercial only, and TVDB 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.