specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
providerId: nist
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Cybersecurity
  - Government
  - Public Data
  - Standards
  - Scientific Data
description: NIST APIs (National Vulnerability Database, Chemistry WebBook, Internet Time Service, Material
  Measurement Laboratory data) are public goods provided at no charge by the U.S. federal government.
  There are no paid plans, contracts, or commercial tiers. Optional API keys raise the per-key request
  quota but remain free of charge. Use is governed by NIST Terms of Use.
sources:
  - https://nvd.nist.gov/developers/start-here
  - https://www.nist.gov/services/api
plans:
  - id: nist-public-anonymous
    name: NIST Public APIs — Anonymous
    type: freemium
    description: Free anonymous access to NIST public APIs. Subject to a default rate limit of 5 requests
      per 30-second rolling window for the NVD API.
    entries:
      - label: Anonymous access
        name: anonymous_access
        type: flat
        metric: month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: No registration required
      - name: 5 requests / 30 seconds (NVD)
      - name: NIST Terms of Use apply
  - id: nist-public-keyed
    name: NIST Public APIs — API Key
    type: freemium
    description: Free registered access. Email-verified API key raises NVD limit to 50 requests per 30-second
      rolling window.
    entries:
      - label: Registered access
        name: keyed_access
        type: flat
        metric: month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Free registration via NVD developer portal
      - name: 50 requests / 30 seconds (NVD)
      - name: 10x higher quota than anonymous
      - name: Email activation required
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com
x-canonical:
  generated: '2026-10-08'
  vocabulary: all/0-working/economics/plans-canonical.yml
  models:
  - subscription
  units:
  - period
  plans:
  - name: NIST Public APIs — Anonymous
    access: freemium
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - period
    periods:
    - month
  - name: NIST Public APIs — API Key
    access: freemium
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - period
    periods:
    - month