Public APIs: 1,000+ Free APIs in One GitHub Repo
TL;DR
Public APIs (github.com/public-apis/public-apis, about 484,000 stars, MIT) is a curated list of roughly 1,959 APIs in 52 categories: weather, maps, jokes, animals, space and more. Each row tells you whether the API needs a key. In our count on 2026-09-29, 933 of them list no auth at all, so nearly half work without signing up. Pick one, paste its docs link into Claude, and ask Claude to build you a small app with it.
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Why these 7
Most app ideas die at the data step: where do you get weather, maps or jokes without paying for an API? Public APIs is one giant, community-maintained list that answers that. It does not host the APIs itself. It links to each one and marks whether you need a key, whether it runs over HTTPS and whether it supports CORS. Some are fully open, many have a free tier behind a free key, so always check the Auth column first.
We checked every link and star count live on September 29, 2026. Star counts move every day.
1. Public APIs (the list): over 1,000 free APIs, sorted into 52 categories
484,000+ stars · MIT · over 1,000 free APIs, sorted into 52 categories
A curated, MIT-licensed list. Every row shows the API, what it does, Auth (No, apiKey or OAuth), HTTPS and CORS. Start with rows where Auth says No.
- 1Open github.com/public-apis/public-apis and scroll to the Index.
- 2Pick a category, for example Weather, Geocoding, Entertainment or Animals.
- 3Choose a row where the Auth column says No, and open its link to the docs.
2. Open-Meteo: weather forecasts with no key
weather forecasts with no key
Free weather API for non-commercial use. No key needed: a request with a latitude and longitude returns the current temperature and forecast as JSON.
3. Nominatim: turn addresses into map coordinates
turn addresses into map coordinates
OpenStreetMap's geocoder. No key, but follow its usage policy: send a real User-Agent and keep to about one request per second.
4. JokeAPI: programmable jokes with filters
programmable jokes with filters
Jokes in several languages with category and safe-mode filters. No key needed.
5. icanhazdadjoke: a random dad joke on every call
a random dad joke on every call
Send a request with the header Accept: application/json and get one dad joke back. No key needed.
6. Cat Facts: a random cat fact as JSON
a random cat fact as JSON
One of the two Cat Facts APIs in the list. No key needed.
7. NASA APIs: space photos, including the Astronomy Picture of the Day
space photos, including the Astronomy Picture of the Day
Listed with Auth No in the repo, but in our test the endpoint asks for an api_key. The key is free: sign up at api.nasa.gov, or try the shared DEMO_KEY for a few calls.
Quick start
- 1Open github.com/public-apis/public-apis and pick an API whose Auth column says No.
- 2Copy the link to its documentation.
- 3Paste it into Claude with this prompt: Read the docs at this link and build me a simple one-page web app that uses this API. Keep it in a single HTML file and explain how to open it.
- 4Open the file Claude gives you in your browser. If the API needs a key, add your own free key where Claude marks it.
👉 https://www.skool.com/claudecodeclub
Common questions
Are all the APIs in Public APIs free?
The repo calls itself a collective list of free APIs, but many are free tiers that need a free key or OAuth. In our count on 2026-09-29, 933 of about 1,959 entries list no auth at all.
How many APIs are in the Public APIs repo?
About 1,959 API rows across 52 categories in the README on 2026-09-29, so well over a thousand. The list changes as the community adds and removes entries.
Do I need to code to use these APIs?
No. Paste an API's documentation link into Claude and ask it to build a small app, then open the file it gives you. Claude writes the code.
Is the Public APIs list open source?
Yes. The repo is MIT licensed and had about 484,000 GitHub stars on 2026-09-29.
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