Question

I’m in need of a certain web API, but the ones have found have rate limits that won’t be enough for me.

I can set up my own database and store the results that I get from the API, to reduce the amount of calls. This will eventually lead to a point where I, more or less, have copied the API database.

Is this okay? It might be morally questionable, but is there anything that actually prevents me from doing it?

Thank you.

Answer 1

It depends on the terms of service of the API vendor.

ex: google maps

10.1 Restrictions on How You May Use the Maps API(s). Except as explicitly
permitted in Section 8 (Licenses from
Google to You) or the Maps APIs
Documentation, you must not (nor may
you permit anyone else to) do any of
the following:

10.1.3 Restrictions against Data Export or Copying.

(b) No Pre-Fetching, Caching, or
Storage of Content. You must not
pre-fetch, cache, or store any
Content, except that you may store:
(i) limited amounts of Content for the
purpose of improving the performance
of your Maps API Implementation if you
do so temporarily, securely, and in a
manner that does not permit use of the
Content outside of the Service; and
(ii) any content identifier or key
that the Maps APIs Documentation
specifically permits you to store. For
example, you must not use the Content
to create an independent database of
“places.”