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Guide · Open source

How to use public-apis: find and pick a free API

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

public-apis/public-apis is an open-source, MIT-licensed collective list of free APIs, which are services that let your program request data or features from an outside source. This guide is for developers, students and teams who want to find a third-party API to build on. After reading it you will know how to get the list, how to read an entry, and how to judge whether an API is a good candidate.

public-apispublic-apis/public-apis · ★ 495k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Open the list. Visit the public-apis repository on GitHub, or clone it with git clone https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis.
  2. 2Pick a domain. Scan the README section headings and choose the area that matches the data you need.
  3. 3Read the table row. Note the API name, its description and the link to its documentation.
  4. 4Check the auth and terms. Open the provider's documentation to confirm how it authenticates and what its terms allow.
  5. 5Make a test request. Send one request from a small script or the browser and inspect the response format.
  6. 6Compare alternatives. Repeat for at least one other API or directory before you choose.

What the public-apis list is and is not

The list is a curated directory, not a software tool. Community members and people working at APILayer maintain it manually, and it covers many domains. You read it online or clone it; there is nothing to install or run.

Because the list is a directory, it does not guarantee that any listed API will stay online, be supported, or meet your uptime needs. Each entry is maintained by a different third party.

  • Type: a curated list of public APIs, not an application
  • Maintained by: community members and people at APILayer
  • Install method listed in the source: read online, or clone the repository
  • Prerequisites listed in the source: none

Get a copy of the repository

If you want a local copy of the list, clone the repository with git. The source gives this command. You can also simply open the README on GitHub and browse it there.

git clone https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis

Find an API by domain

The README is organised by domain. Scan the section headings for the kind of data you need, such as weather, finance or geolocation, then open the table for that area. Each row gives the API name, a short description, and usually a link to its documentation.

The README also has a section for APILayer APIs and a section for MCP servers. The MCP section lists servers that let AI agents call APIs as tools, with columns for auth and transport rather than HTTPS and CORS.

  • Start with a plain-language need, for example 'exchange rates' or 'validate an email'
  • Open the linked documentation before you commit to an API
  • Note the auth column: some entries need an API key

Check each candidate before you build on it

Listing an API does not mean it is ready for your project. Read its documentation for the terms, rate limits and how it authenticates. Make a small test request first so you see the real response format.

For comparing candidates, keep a short table with the same fields for each one: what data it returns, whether it needs a key, and where the docs are. Treat the README as a starting point, since it is heavily promotional toward APILayer products.

  • Confirm the terms of use on the provider's own site
  • Make one test request and inspect the JSON
  • Compare at least two options for the same need

Compare with other API directories

If you want a second opinion or a different set of listings, the source names several comparable projects: Free for Dev, APIs.guru, RapidAPI Hub, and the Public APIs Directory on Postman. Looking at more than one directory helps you avoid relying on a single curated list.

  • Free for Dev
  • APIs.guru
  • RapidAPI Hub
  • Public APIs Directory on Postman

What people use it for

  • Adding a weather lookup to a side project by picking a weather API from the list
  • Students surveying what kinds of data services exist across domains
  • Teams shortlisting candidate APIs for a product before committing to one

Frequently asked questions

Is public-apis free to use?

The repository is licensed under MIT. The APIs it lists are maintained by different third parties, so each provider's own terms decide whether and how you can use it.

Do I need to install anything to use public-apis?

No. The source lists the install method as read online, with no prerequisites. You can browse the README or clone the repository with git.

What programming language is public-apis written in?

The source lists the repository language as Python. You do not need Python to read the list.

Are the APIs on the list guaranteed to work?

No. The list is manually maintained, and listed APIs are run by different third parties, so there is no guaranteed uptime or support. Test each one before you depend on it.

What are good alternatives to public-apis?

The source names Free for Dev, APIs.guru, RapidAPI Hub and the Public APIs Directory on Postman as comparable projects. Checking more than one helps you compare options.

Is the list biased toward any provider?

The README's top section promotes the APILayer suite of REST APIs and related Postman collections, so read the listings with that in mind and compare against other directories.

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Our verdict

Use public-apis if you are a developer, student or team looking for candidate third-party APIs to explore or shortlist. Pick something else if you need a runnable tool, guaranteed uptime, or an unbiased comparison, since this is a promotional list rather than software or a supported service.

Install options & downloads