ViaCep vs What3Words
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
ViaCep vs What3Words: common questions
Which is more reliable, ViaCep or What3Words?
On our scheduled checks, What3Words leads on measured uptime — ViaCep at 98.0% versus What3Words 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, ViaCep or What3Words?
What3Words has the lower median latency in our checks — ViaCep responds in 651 ms versus What3Words at 391 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 ViaCep and What3Words need an API key?
ViaCep needs no key, while What3Words requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for ViaCep first.
Can I call ViaCep and What3Words from the browser?
Only ViaCep is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. What3Words needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are ViaCep and What3Words free for commercial use?
ViaCep has unclear commercial terms, and What3Words 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.