CO

College Football Data API

Comprehensive college football data, free for developers

8.6 / 10Very GoodVerified
Starting PriceFree
Free TierYes
Live DataYes
WebSocketNo
Commercial UseYes

Overview

The College Football Data API (CFBD) is a community-driven, free-to-use API providing comprehensive college football statistics, scores, schedules, rankings, and recruiting data. Covering FBS and FCS divisions, it offers game results, team stats, player stats, betting lines, advanced metrics (SP+ ratings), play-by-play data, and recruiting information. The API is open-source, well-documented, and has become the standard for college football analytics projects.

Pros

  • Comprehensive college football data
  • Free tier with all endpoints
  • Betting lines and odds
  • SP+ advanced ratings
  • Recruiting data
  • Play-by-play data
  • OpenAPI specification

Cons

  • College football only
  • No WebSocket streaming
  • Rate limits on free tier
  • No GraphQL support
  • Data sourced from various providers

Best For

College football analyticsCFB betting toolsRecruiting trackersMarch Madness alternatives (bowl season)Academic sports research

Not Ideal For

Professional football appsMulti-sport applicationsReal-time live bettingNon-college sports projects

Specifications

REST APIYes
GraphQLNo
WebSocketNo
WebhooksNo
OpenAPI SpecYes
Player StatsYes
Team StatsYes
Odds DataYes
Historical Data2004 season onward for detailed stats; scores from 1869; recruiting from 2000
Request Limits1,000 requests/day (free), up to 100,000/day (Pro)
Commercial UseYes
RedistributionNo
White LabelNo

SDKs

PythonNode.jsRGo

Leagues

NCAA FBSNCAA FCSCollege Football PlayoffsBowl Games
Last verified: 2026-08-15

Our Verdict

8.6/ 10

College Football Data API is a top-tier sports API that excels in college football analytics and cfb betting tools. With an overall score of 8.6/10, it stands out for its comprehensive college football data and free tier with all endpoints.

Editorial: 8.7/10Benchmark: 8.5/10How we score →
Data verified: 2026-08-15
Pricing checked Coverage checked Docs checked

Coverage

Sports Supported

American Football
Live DataYes
Historical Data2004 season onward for detailed stats; scores from 1869; recruiting from 2000
Player StatsYes
Team StatsYes
Odds DataYes

Leagues & Competitions

NCAA FBSNCAA FCSCollege Football PlayoffsBowl Games

4 leagues and competitions covered

Developer Experience

API Paradigms

REST
GraphQL
WebSocket
Webhooks

SDKs

PythonNode.jsRGo

Documentation

Commercial Terms

Commercial use
Redistribution
White-label
Rate limit: 1,000 requests/day (free), up to 100,000/day (Pro)

Pricing Plans

Free

Free

1,000/day

  • All endpoints
  • Game and team stats
  • Rankings and records
  • Betting data
  • Recruiting data

Supporter

$9.99/month

10,000/day

  • Higher rate limits
  • Priority support
  • Advanced metrics
  • Play-by-play data

Pro

$49.99/month

100,000/day

  • Highest rate limits
  • All data endpoints
  • Commercial use
  • Dedicated support