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IUCN API alternatives

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. If it doesn't fit your project, here are the 10 best free Animals APIs to use instead in 2026, out of 23 in the directory.

For reference, IUCN API: HTTPS.

  1. 1Dog Facts logo

    Dog Facts API

    Online · 342 ms

    Random dog facts. A free animals API by dukengn.github.io.

    • No API key needed
    • Fast: 342 ms response
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  2. 2Dog Facts logo

    Dog Facts API

    Online · 356 ms

    Random facts of Dogs. A free animals API by Dog API by kinduff.

    • No API key needed
    • Fast: 356 ms response
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  3. 3Cat Facts logo

    Cat Facts API

    Online · 556 ms

    Random cat facts. A free animals API by Cat Facts API.

    • No API key needed
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  4. 4Dogs logo

    Dogs API

    Online · 523 ms

    Based on the Stanford Dogs Dataset.

    • No API key needed
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  5. 5HTTP Cat logo

    HTTP Cat API

    Online · 683 ms

    Cat for every HTTP Status.

    • No API key needed
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  6. 6HTTP Dog logo

    HTTP Dog API

    Online · 779 ms

    Dogs for every HTTP response status code.

    • No API key needed
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  7. 7PlaceDog logo

    PlaceDog API

    Online · 860 ms

    Placeholder Dog pictures. A free animals API by place.dog.

    • No API key needed
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  8. 8Cat Facts logo

    Cat Facts API

    Online · 281 ms

    Daily cat facts. A free animals API by cat-facts.

    • No API key needed
    • Fast: 281 ms response
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSNo CORS
  9. 9RandomDog logo

    RandomDog API

    Online · 1405 ms

    Random pictures of dogs. A free animals API by random.dog.

    • No API key needed
    • Returns JSON at its URL
    • Callable from the browser (CORS)
    • HTTPS
    No authHTTPSCORS
  10. 10FishWatch logo

    FishWatch API

    Online · 2075 ms

    Information and pictures about individual fish species.

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

IUCN API vs alternatives

IUCN API compared with its alternatives
APIAPI keyHTTPSCORSUptimeResponseRating
IUCN logoIUCNRequiredYesNoUp789 msNot rated
Dog Facts logoDog FactsNoYesYesUp342 msNot rated
Dog Facts logoDog FactsNoYesYesUp356 msNot rated
Cat Facts logoCat FactsNoYesYesUp556 msNot rated
Dogs logoDogsNoYesYesUp523 msNot rated
HTTP Cat logoHTTP CatNoYesYesUp683 msNot rated
HTTP Dog logoHTTP DogNoYesYesUp779 msNot rated
PlaceDog logoPlaceDogNoYesYesUp860 msNot rated
Cat Facts logoCat FactsNoYesNoUp281 msNot rated

See also: best Animals APIs · all Animals APIs

IUCN API alternatives FAQ

What is the best free alternative to the IUCN API in 2026?

The top-ranked free alternatives to the IUCN API are Dog Facts API, Dog Facts API and Cat Facts API, all in the Animals category. Rankings combine access (API key, HTTPS, CORS), daily uptime checks and developer ratings.

Is there a IUCN API alternative that doesn't need an API key?

Yes: Dog Facts API, Dog Facts API and Cat Facts API work without an API key, unlike the IUCN API, which uses apiKey authentication.

Is there a IUCN API alternative I can call from the browser?

Dog Facts API, Dog Facts API and Cat Facts API support CORS, so front-end JavaScript can call them directly.

How many Animals APIs are similar to the IUCN API?

The directory lists 23 other free Animals APIs. This page compares the top ones side by side.