Sheets API vs Visualization "Charts" API and why is API key not required

[Eric]

Do I understand this right that the Visualization API is basically a free API can also retrieve Sheets data as read-only.    Then I am confused why the Sheets API doesn't cross-promote this API when you just want to read sheet data for an app.   Sheets API requires OAuth or Service Account access and inevitably also charges for usage of the API via a key.  Seems like a loophole here and trying to understand why the duplicate APIs exists.   I am worried is the Visualization API heavily throttled for users, is adding the mapsApiKey going to give me the same throughput as the Sheets API.

Thanks!

[Dev Khatri]

Hi Eric,

As per my personal experience after using both ways below are my thoughts on them.

To use visualization API you need to make your google sheet public read only means if end users got the sheet URL they can download the entire data including formula and app script code. Also you can't update the sheet data using this method.

But when you are using sheet API your data will be secured in right hands because your middleware handle the authentication and authorisation. So your sheet data will be secure along with DML. 

Why Google doesn't promote this i am not sure. But seems above can be the reason to promote Sheet API over visualisation.

Thanks

On Fri, 21 Feb 2025 at 11:29 PM, Eric <urban...@gmail.com> wrote:

Do I understand this right that the Visualization API is basically a free API can also retrieve Sheets data as read-only.    Then I am confused why the Sheets API doesn't cross-promote this API when you just want to read sheet data for an app.   Sheets API requires OAuth or Service Account access and inevitably also charges for usage of the API via a key.  Seems like a loophole here and trying to understand why the duplicate APIs exists.   I am worried is the Visualization API heavily throttled for users, is adding the mapsApiKey going to give me the same throughput as the Sheets API.

Thanks!

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