GitHub ReadMe Stats API vs Shields API

Two free Open Source Projects APIs compared on access, reliability and developer ratings, using data from our daily health checks.

The verdict

Choose GitHub ReadMe Stats API if you want to call it from browser JavaScript.
Choose Shields API if its data fits your use case better; on access and reliability it's level with GitHub ReadMe Stats API.

	GitHub ReadMe Stats API	Shields API
What it does	Add dynamically generated statistics to your GitHub profile ReadMe.	Concise, consistent, and legible badges in SVG and raster format.
Provider	anuraghazra	Shields.io
API key	Not needed	Not needed
HTTPS	Yes	Yes
CORS (browser calls)	Yes	Unknown
Status today	Online · 729 ms	Online · 791 ms
Uptime (30 days)	Up	Up
Developer rating	Not rated yet	Not rated yet
Price	Free / free tier	Free / free tier

Add dynamically generated statistics to your GitHub profile ReadMe.

:zap: Dynamically generated stats for your github readmes

Strengths

Concise, consistent, and legible badges in SVG and raster format.

Concise, consistent, and legible badges

Strengths

Prototyping or a tutorial? Pick the one that needs no API key (both qualify).
Calling from a web page? You need CORS. Otherwise route requests through your own server or a serverless function.
Going to production? Favour HTTPS, a strong uptime record and a provider with clear rate limits and terms. Check each API's docs before you commit.
Still unsure? Both are free to try: send one request to each and compare the data you get back.

Neither needs an API key; you can call both straight away.

GitHub ReadMe Stats API supports CORS, so front-end JavaScript can call it directly. Call the other from a server.