patchBay

Big Book vs Crossref Metadata Search

Both are solid Books APIs. Choose based on your specific requirements.

Big Book

The Big Book API allows you to semantically search, filter, sort, and recommend books

Crossref Metadata Search

Books & Articles Metadata

Big Book

  • Simple API key authentication
  • HTTPS supported
  • CORS enabled for frontend use

Crossref Metadata Search

  • No authentication required
  • HTTPS supported
FeatureBig BookCrossref Metadata Search
AuthenticationapiKeyNone
HTTPSYesYes
CORSYesUnknown

When to use which?

Crossref Metadata Search is the better choice for quick prototypes and hackathons since it requires no authentication. Big Book works directly from the browser with CORS enabled, making it better for frontend-only apps.