football-data.org is a popular free football API — but its free tier serves delayed scores and a handful of competitions. Kickoffapi is real-time from the free tier up, across 900+ leagues.
| Feature | Kickoffapi | football-data.org |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier scores | Real-time | Delayed |
| Free tier coverage | All endpoints, 900+ leagues | ~12 competitions |
| Player stats on free | Limited but available | Not included |
| Paid entry | $19 / 20,000 req per day | ~€99 / month for 50+ comps |
Comparison based on publicly listed information, June 2026. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
If your product shows live scores, a delayed free tier won't cut it — and stacking add-ons (livescores, deep data, stats, odds) adds up fast. Kickoffapi is real-time from the free tier and scales on flat, predictable plans.
Prototypes and study projects that only need a handful of major European leagues and can tolerate delayed data.
Its free tier serves delayed scores; real-time requires a paid livescores add-on. Kickoffapi serves real-time scores from its free tier.
Kickoffapi — all endpoints across 900+ leagues on the free tier, versus about 12 competitions on football-data.org's free plan.
Yes — especially if you need real-time scores, player statistics, or broader league coverage without stacking add-ons.
Real-time scores from the free tier up. Your key takes 30 seconds.