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TVDB vs Watchmode

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

APITVDBREACHABLE—WatchmodeREACHABLE—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeyapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseTVDB terms — user-contributed dataWatchmode terms
Free tierFree personal API keyFree — 1,000 req/month
Rate limitUnpublished1,000 req/month (free tier)
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

TVDB vs Watchmode: common questions

Which is more reliable, TVDB or Watchmode?

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

Both ask you to authenticate — TVDB uses an API key and Watchmode 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 TVDB and Watchmode from the browser?

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

TVDB has unclear commercial terms, and Watchmode 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.