Google Books API
Learn to use the Google Books API so your app can search text and retrieve book information.
Learn to use the Google Books API so your app can search text and retrieve book information.
Strengths
- HTTPS
vsGoogle Books API vs Gutendex API
Two free Books APIs compared on access, reliability and developer ratings, using data from our daily health checks.
The verdict
- Choose Google Books API if you want faster responses.
- Choose Gutendex API if you want to start without an API key.
Side by side
| Google Books API | Gutendex API | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Learn to use the Google Books API so your app can search text and retrieve book information. | Web-API for fetching data from Project Gutenberg Books Library. |
| Provider | Google Books APIs | Gutendex |
| API key | OAuth | Not needed |
| HTTPS | Yes | Yes |
| CORS (browser calls) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Status today | Online · 564 ms | Online · 10846 ms |
| Uptime (30 days) | Up | Up |
| Developer rating | Not rated yet | Not rated yet |
| Price | Free / free tier | Free / free tier |
About each API
Gutendex API
Web-API for fetching data from Project Gutenberg Books Library.
Strengths
- No API key needed
- HTTPS
How to choose between them
- Prototyping or a tutorial? Pick the one that needs no API key.
- 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.
Google Books vs Gutendex FAQ
Which needs an API key, Google Books API or Gutendex API?
Google Books API requires an API key; Gutendex API doesn't, so Gutendex API is quicker to try.
More comparisons
Google Books API alternatives · Gutendex API alternatives · best Books APIs