What Percentage of the Web's Data Do APIs Really Cover?

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) have become the foundation of modern digital infrastructure. From powering mobile apps to enabling seamless business integrations, APIs are essential. But despite their critical role, a large portion of valuable data on the internet remains out of reach.

So, how much data do APIs really expose? And more importantly, why does so much still remain inaccessible?

The API Landscape: A Mixed Picture

APIs are everywhere, but not all are accessible. According to AnalyzingAlpha:

• Only 15% of APIs are publicly available.
• The remaining 85% are either private (58%) or partner-restricted (27%).

This shows that although many APIs exist, the majority are not openly accessible to external developers or data consumers. Public APIs are just the tip of the iceberg. The rest are often buried behind authentication walls or are only accessible to internal teams and trusted partners.

The implications of this are significant. While organizations may be building and relying on APIs at an increasing pace, the ability to harness data from third-party or public sources is still restricted. This hampers interoperability, slows innovation, and increases reliance on manual data extraction processes.

How Much Data Do APIs Really Cover?

Based on industry trends and expert insights, a realistic estimate is that APIs expose around 70–75% of useful or critical data. That leaves 25–30% of data trapped in:

• Gated portals that require logins and cannot be accessed programmatically
• Legacy systems that lack modern integration capabilities
• Internal-only applications that are not designed for external consumption
• Documents or data behind complex front-end interfaces

This estimate reflects the experience of developers, data analysts, and digital strategists who routinely run into barriers while building data-driven applications or analytics pipelines.

Moreover, even within the portion of data that is accessible via APIs, access levels vary. Some APIs are read-only. Others are heavily rate-limited or charge for usage. And a growing number are being deprecated or throttled as companies reassess the strategic value of openness.

API Usage vs. Data Accessibility

There is no doubt that APIs dominate internet traffic:

• 83% of web traffic is API-related, according to Akamai.
• 50%+ of Cloudflare’s network traffic is API-based, with growth outpacing traditional web traffic (Cloudflare).

These statistics highlight APIs' centrality in digital infrastructure. From microservices to mobile applications, most data movement now flows through APIs. However, this doesn't mean data is truly accessible. Often, API traffic is dominated by internal system calls, mobile app backends, or integrations between pre-approved enterprise partners.

In other words, just because data is traveling via APIs doesn't mean you can tap into it. Most developers building apps that rely on third-party data still struggle to get access to what they need.

Why So Much Data Remains Unreachable

Despite the growth in APIs, key data often remains inaccessible due to a combination of technological, regulatory, and strategic factors:

• Authentication gates: Many websites require logins, session tokens, or CAPTCHA challenges that prevent scraping or automated API calls.
• Security and compliance: Concerns about GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA lead many companies to err on the side of restricted data sharing.
• Legacy systems: Older on-prem systems or outdated databases often lack modern REST or GraphQL interfaces.
• Business strategy: Some companies restrict API access to retain control over valuable data and monetization models.

These roadblocks not only limit innovation but also increase the operational burden for companies that need to integrate or analyze external data. Without APIs, teams often fall back on scraping, manual downloads, or even human data entry.

Final Thoughts: Bridging the Data Divide

While APIs may handle the bulk of web traffic and are essential for application workflows, they still leave a significant portion of valuable data behind locked doors. As of today, it's reasonable to estimate that about 25–30% of critical data remains out of reach, trapped in portals without APIs.

The good news is that the trend is moving in the right direction. More companies are adopting an API-first mindset, governments are promoting open data, and tools for managing secure access are improving.

To unlock this data:

• Companies should invest in modernizing legacy systems.
• Organizations should consider exposing APIs with proper access controls and usage limits.
• Developers should build tools that can safely bridge web interfaces and structured data pipelines.

At Deck, we help bridge the gap between accessible and inaccessible data. Whether you're working with financial statements, government filings, or gated third-party systems, our platform helps surface the insights locked inside.

Want to unlock the 30% of data still hidden behind walls? Let us show you how.

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