Anime · head-to-head
AniList vs AnimeChan
AniList's public GraphQL endpoint at graphql.anilist.co answers anime, manga, and character queries with no authentication at all — confirmed live with an unauthenticated POST that returned a normal GraphQL error payload alongside a wide-open Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * header. OAuth only comes into play for account-scoped actions like updating a user's list; browsing the catalog is free and unmetered beyond a per-minute rate limit.
The rebuilt AnimeChan now runs as a hosted service at api.animechan.io (the original GitHub project moved under the AnimechanOrg organization), serving anime-quote JSON with a wide-open CORS policy confirmed live against the real gateway. It's free for casual use at a default 5 requests/hour, with a 1,000/hour tier for anyone who becomes a paid supporter.
| AniList | AnimeChan | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | OAuth | None |
| Pricing | free | freemium |
| Formats | JSON | JSON |
| CORS | yes | yes |
| HTTPS | Yes | Yes |
AnimeChan needs no API key, while AniList requires OAuth — pick AnimeChan to start without signup.