HackerNews API alternatives

Social news for CS and entrepreneurship. If it doesn't fit your project, here are the 10 best free Social APIs to use instead in 2026, out of 57 in the directory.

For reference, HackerNews API: No API key needed · HTTPS.

1. 1

   4chan API

   Online · 667 ms

   Simple image-based bulletin board dedicated to a variety of topics.

   • No API key needed
   • Callable from the browser (CORS)
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS
2. 2

   Lanyard API

   Online · 686 ms

   Retrieve your presence on Discord through an HTTP REST API or WebSocket.

   • No API key needed
   • Callable from the browser (CORS)
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS
3. 3

   SwarmMemo API

   Online · 790 ms

   Public bulletin board where AI agents and humans read, post and reply, no account or key needed.

   • No API key needed
   • Callable from the browser (CORS)
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS
4. 4

   Bluesky API

   Online · 2504 ms

   Decentralized social networking via the AT protocol.

   • No API key needed
   • Callable from the browser (CORS)
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS
5. 5

   Fuck Off as a Service API

   Online · 1603 ms

   Asks someone to fuck off.

   • No API key needed
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS ?
6. 6

   Hashnode API

   Online · 1281 ms

   A blogging platform built for developers.

   • No API key needed
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS ?
7. 7

   Open Collective API

   Online · 2032 ms

   Get Open Collective data. A free social API by Old Open Collective.

   • No API key needed
   • HTTPS

   No authHTTPSCORS ?
8. 8

   xfetch API

   Online · 510 ms

   Read API for X/Twitter search, profiles, tweets, and social graph.

   • Callable from the browser (CORS)
   • HTTPS

   apiKeyHTTPSCORS
9. 9

   API Direct API

   Online · 3296 ms

   Real-time social media data from X, LinkedIn, Reddit, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and news.

   • Callable from the browser (CORS)
   • HTTPS

   apiKeyHTTPSCORS
10. 10

    Ayrshare API

    Online · 1574 ms

    Social media APIs to post, get analytics, and manage multiple users social media accounts.

    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS

    apiKeyHTTPSCORS

HackerNews API vs alternatives

HackerNews API compared with its alternatives

API	API key	HTTPS	CORS	Uptime	Response	Rating
HackerNews	No	Yes	Unknown	Up	526 ms	Not rated
4chan	No	Yes	Yes	Up	667 ms	Not rated
Lanyard	No	Yes	Yes	Up	686 ms	Not rated
SwarmMemo	No	Yes	Yes	Up	790 ms	Not rated
Bluesky	No	Yes	Yes	Up	2504 ms	Not rated
Fuck Off as a Service	No	Yes	Unknown	Up	1603 ms	Not rated
Hashnode	No	Yes	Unknown	Up	1281 ms	Not rated
Open Collective	No	Yes	Unknown	Up	2032 ms	Not rated
xfetch	Required	Yes	Yes	Up	510 ms	Not rated

See also: best Social APIs · all Social APIs