CarVector vs Helipaddy sites

CarVector decodes VINs and license plates into specs, images, recall notices, and OBD-II DTC codes for vehicles spanning model years 1925 to 2029. A live unauthenticated GET against its real API host, api.carvector.io/v1/vehicles/{id}, returned a 401 "missing_api_key" JSON error over HTTPS — reconfirming auth "API Key" and https true — with no Access-Control-Allow-Origin header on either that request or a follow-up OPTIONS preflight, resolving the stored "yes" cors to "no". Its pricing page lists a $0 Free tier alongside paid $39/mo and $79/mo plans plus a custom Enterprise tier — freemium.

Helipaddy's Partner API returns nearby helicopter, EVTOL, and drone landing sites — hotels, aerodromes, pubs, and B&Bs with helipads — as JSON, gated to a per-partner category allow-list. A live GET and OPTIONS preflight against its real API host, helipaddy.com/wp-json/hp-partner/v1/sites, both echoed access-control-allow-origin back with the request Origin, resolving the stored "unknown" cors to "yes"; the GET returned a "hp_partner_api_invalid_key" 401 error, reconfirming auth "API Key" over HTTPS. Partner tokens are issued manually via WhatsApp/email under a negotiated agreement with no public self-serve tier — paid.