The best anime API for your project
There's no single best anime API: metadata APIs and streaming APIs solve different problems. This guide compares the main options and when to use each.
Metadata APIs vs streaming APIs
Metadata APIs describe anime: titles, synopses, genres, studios, scores, characters, airing schedules. They don't give you video. Streaming APIs give you something to play: episode sources and a way to serve them.
Most apps need metadata. Only apps with a built-in player need streaming.
Comparison
| API | Type | Format | Key needed | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jikan | Metadata (MyAnimeList) | REST | No | Free | MyAnimeList data, scores, rankings |
| AniList | Metadata + user lists | GraphQL | Only for user data | Free | Detailed metadata, user lists, airing schedules |
| Kitsu | Metadata | REST (JSON:API) | Only for user data | Free | Metadata with links to official streaming sites |
| AnimeDoc | Search + streaming | REST | Yes (free plan) | Free plan; from $12/month | Search, episode sources and playback |
Limits and terms change; check each project's own documentation before you build on it.
Jikan
Jikan is an unofficial MyAnimeList API. It's free and needs no key, and it's the easiest way to get MyAnimeList scores, rankings and seasonal lists. It's rate limited (a few requests per second) and serves cached MyAnimeList data. No video.
AniList
AniList's GraphQL API returns exactly the fields you ask for, which keeps responses small. It covers anime and manga metadata, airing schedules and user lists (with OAuth). It has a per-minute rate limit. No video.
Kitsu
Kitsu offers anime and manga metadata through a JSON:API REST interface, plus links to where a show streams officially. Good if you want REST and pointers to legal streaming services. No video.
AnimeDoc
AnimeDoc is the streaming option: search anime and movies, get details and seasons, resolve an episode's video sources and subtitles, and play them through a stream proxy with seeking. It's hosted, needs an API key, and has a free plan plus paid plans with higher rate limits.
It's narrower on metadata than AniList or Jikan (no characters database or user lists), so many apps pair it with one of them.
Which should you use?
- A tracker, recommendations or a stats site: AniList or Jikan.
- A Discord or Telegram bot that looks titles up: Jikan, or AnimeDoc if it should link to episodes. See the Discord and Telegram tutorials.
- An app with a video player: AnimeDoc for playback, optionally AniList for extra metadata.
- Replacing Consumet or AniAPI: see Consumet alternative and AniAPI alternative.