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xkcd vs PokéAPI

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

APIxkcdNEW—PokéAPIHEALTHY—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSnoyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial usenono
Data licenseCC BY-NC 2.5Fair-use fan data
Free tierFree, no API keyUnlimited (be reasonable)
Rate limitUnpublishedNone — locally cache please
In directory since2026-07-052026-05-02
operationalpartialdownno data

xkcd vs PokéAPI: common questions

Which is more reliable, xkcd or PokéAPI?

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

Neither needs a paid key — xkcd is callable with no signup, and PokéAPI is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call xkcd and PokéAPI from the browser?

Only PokéAPI is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. xkcd needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are xkcd and PokéAPI free for commercial use?

xkcd is personal/non-commercial only, and PokéAPI 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.