Nominatim API vs positionstack API

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

The verdict

Choose Nominatim API if you want to start without an API key, to call it from browser JavaScript, faster responses.
Choose positionstack API for its data: Forward & Reverse Batch Geocoding REST API.

	Nominatim API	positionstack API
What it does	Provides worldwide forward / reverse geocoding.	Forward & Reverse Batch Geocoding REST API.
Provider	Nominatim 5.3.3 Manual	Positionstack
API key	Not needed	Required
HTTPS	Yes	Yes
CORS (browser calls)	Yes	Unknown
Status today	Online · 637 ms	Online · 1094 ms
Uptime (30 days)	Up	Up
Developer rating	Not rated yet	Not rated yet
Price	Free / free tier	Free / free tier

Provides worldwide forward / reverse geocoding.

Strengths

Forward & Reverse Batch Geocoding REST API.

Build location-based apps with Positionstack’s geocoding API. Get real-time forward/reverse geocoding, global data, and easy integration in JSON.

Strengths

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.

positionstack API requires an API key; Nominatim API doesn't, so Nominatim API is quicker to try.

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