What Rainforest API Is Known For
Rainforest API is a dedicated Amazon data API and a solid fit if Amazon is the only marketplace you need. kwery returns Amazon alongside 11 other sources in a single normalized schema, with trust scoring, observation timestamps and change events applied uniformly across all of them.
An Amazon-focused product data API with detailed Amazon-specific request types covering product, offer, review, search and category data.
Amazon-Specific Request Types
Distinct request types for product, offers, reviews, search, category and related Amazon surfaces.
Offer-Level Detail
Detailed Amazon offer and seller information, including Buy Box related fields exposed in the response.
Many Amazon Domains
Coverage across a wide set of Amazon country domains.
Source-Native Responses
Responses follow Amazon's own domain concepts closely rather than abstracting them.
Where the Products Overlap
A fair comparison starts with the shared ground. Both products are used for the following, which is why they appear in the same evaluation at all. Below the shared band, the ledger shows where the two designs diverge.
Where they overlap
Where they diverge
Source scope
Amazon, in depth
Multiple marketplaces, one schema
Response shape
Amazon-native
Marketplace-independent
Request types
Many, Amazon-specific
One request contract per source
Amazon edge fields
Directly exposed
Mapped to common concepts
Adding a marketplace
Outside the product scope
Same contract, new source
Source scope
Rainforest API
Amazon, in depth
kwery
Multiple marketplaces, one schema
Response shape
Rainforest API
Amazon-native
kwery
Marketplace-independent
Request types
Rainforest API
Many, Amazon-specific
kwery
One request contract per source
Amazon edge fields
Rainforest API
Directly exposed
kwery
Mapped to common concepts
Adding a marketplace
Rainforest API
Outside the product scope
kwery
Same contract, new source
The Main Architectural Difference
Rainforest API models Amazon as Amazon. Request types mirror Amazon's own surfaces, and the response keeps Amazon-native concepts intact. When Amazon is the market you care about, that fidelity is an advantage: nothing is flattened away, and Amazon-specific fields remain directly addressable.
kwery models the marketplace-independent record. An Amazon offer and an eBay offer arrive in the same shape, with the same field names and the same completeness metadata, which means a pricing engine can treat sources as data rather than as integrations. The cost of that abstraction is that source-specific edge concepts are represented in common terms.
The honest framing is a trade between fidelity and uniformity. A team whose product is fundamentally an Amazon product will usually want the Amazon-native model. A team whose product compares markets will usually want the uniform one.
Rainforest API is Traject Data's Amazon product. This page stays on the Amazon question; the portfolio-level view, covering the Walmart, eBay, Target and Home Depot APIs alongside it, is the Traject Data comparison.
Architecture
Source-native fidelity ←→ Cross-source uniformity
Rainforest API
Amazon domain model, preserved
kwery
One record shape per marketplace
Both paths deliver marketplace data. They differ in what your application receives and what it still has to model.
If the underlying layers are still unclear, the marketplace data infrastructure guide describes what sits between a marketplace and a production record.
If more than Amazon is in scope, the portfolio view is the better starting point: Traject Data and kwery, compared across sources covers Walmart, eBay, Target and Home Depot alongside Amazon.
How Rainforest API and kwery Compare
Each row is either a shared capability, a genuine strength of the other product, or a kwery capability the other product does not document. Verify every row against current documentation during evaluation.
- 01
Source scope
Rainforest API
Amazon, in depth
kwery
Multiple marketplaces, one schema
- 02
Response shape
Rainforest API
Amazon-native
kwery
Marketplace-independent
- 03
Request types
Rainforest API
Many, Amazon-specific
kwery
One request contract per source
- 04
Amazon edge fields
Rainforest API
Directly exposed
kwery
Mapped to common concepts
- 05
Adding a marketplace
Rainforest API
Outside the product scope
kwery
Same contract, new source
- 06
Application logic
Rainforest API
Amazon-aware
kwery
Source-agnostic
| Dimension | Rainforest API | kwery |
|---|---|---|
| Source scope | Amazon, in depth | Multiple marketplaces, one schema |
| Response shape | Amazon-native | Marketplace-independent |
| Request types | Many, Amazon-specific | One request contract per source |
| Amazon edge fields | Directly exposed | Mapped to common concepts |
| Adding a marketplace | Outside the product scope | Same contract, new source |
| Application logic | Amazon-aware | Source-agnostic |
Verify each row against current documentation during evaluation. Last verified: September 2026.
What Comes Back With Each Record
Both products return prices and offers. The rows below show what else is attached to a record when it reaches your system, and which side provides it.
Coverage
Which marketplaces can I read?
kwery onlyRainforest API
Amazon only, across a wide set of Amazon country domains
kwery
Amazon, Google Shopping, Idealo, eBay, Walmart, Otto, Kaufland and further supported sources
Amazon only, across a wide set of Amazon country domains
Amazon, Google Shopping, Idealo, eBay, Walmart, Otto, Kaufland and further supported sources
Collection
Who runs the retrieval?
BothRainforest API
Managed retrieval from Amazon
kwery
Managed retrieval from the requested marketplace
Managed retrieval from Amazon
Managed retrieval from the requested marketplace
Product matching
Can I start from a barcode?
kwery onlyRainforest API
No GTIN matching offered; lookups run on the ASIN, a search term or a URL, so the resolution layer stays with you
kwery
An EAN or GTIN is resolved to the Amazon listing itself, and the same input works on every other supported marketplace, with a match confidence returned
No GTIN matching offered; lookups run on the ASIN, a search term or a URL, so the resolution layer stays with you
An EAN or GTIN is resolved to the Amazon listing itself, and the same input works on every other supported marketplace, with a match confidence returned
Requests per product
How many requests does one complete product take?
kwery onlyRainforest API
Three on Amazon, search, product and offers
kwery
One, on Amazon as on any other source: search, product data and offers arrive in the same call
Three on Amazon, search, product and offers
One, on Amazon as on any other source: search, product data and offers arrive in the same call
Response format
Does one integration read every source?
kwery onlyRainforest API
Amazon-native field names; other marketplaces need a separate integration
kwery
The Amazon record uses the same field names as every other source, so a second marketplace needs no second integration
Amazon-native field names; other marketplaces need a separate integration
The Amazon record uses the same field names as every other source, so a second marketplace needs no second integration
Can you trust the data?
Should my system act on this price?
kwery onlyRainforest API
Not offered, the response carries the data, not a confidence signal
kwery
Each Amazon reading carries a trust score and data-health flags, so a repricer can act on it or hold
Not offered, the response carries the data, not a confidence signal
Each Amazon reading carries a trust score and data-health flags, so a repricer can act on it or hold
Where the data came from
Can I see where and when this was collected?
kwery onlyRainforest API
Not offered, no collection-method or provenance record documented
kwery
The Amazon domain, the country, the collection method and the timestamp travel with the record
Not offered, no collection-method or provenance record documented
The Amazon domain, the country, the collection method and the timestamp travel with the record
What changed since last time
What changed since the last reading?
kwery onlyRainforest API
Compared downstream from stored Amazon responses
kwery
A structured change record when a Buy Box, price or availability reading differs from the previous one
Compared downstream from stored Amazon responses
A structured change record when a Buy Box, price or availability reading differs from the previous one
Application layer
Where does the pricing logic live?
BothRainforest API
None, the pricing logic stays in your systems
kwery
None, the pricing logic stays in your systems
None, the pricing logic stays in your systems
None, the pricing logic stays in your systems
Source-native depth
Can I read Amazon-specific surfaces?
Rainforest API onlyRainforest API
Distinct Amazon request types per surface, including reviews, search and category
kwery
A fixed Amazon field set; review, search and category surfaces are out of scope
Distinct Amazon request types per surface, including reviews, search and category
A fixed Amazon field set; review, search and category surfaces are out of scope
Design emphasis, not quality ranking
How Price and Offer Changes Are Detected
kwery discovers a change when the next reading differs from the previous one and sends a structured change record through the configured delivery workflow, a real difference between two readings, not a platform alert.
Detected Change Event
- Observation T1€129,90
- Marketplace changesunknown
- Observation T2€119,90
kwery detects
€129,90 → €119,90
kwery discovers a change when the next marketplace observation differs from the previous one. It does not know the exact instant the marketplace changed. The structured delta is then emitted through the configured delivery workflow.
Compare Cost per Usable Dataset, Not Cost per Credit
The comparable figure is what each side charges for one complete SKU dataset.
How we compare cost per datasetRainforest API’s unit
Variable3
requests per complete Amazon dataset
- Amazon3 requests, search, product, offers
- Extra surfacesReviews, search and category billed separately
- MatchingNot sold at any request count
- PlansRequest-based subscription
kwery’s unit
Fixed1
credit per complete SKU dataset, everything included
- 1 creditper SKU × source × fresh fetch
- Includedmatching, product data and offers
- Cache hitsno additional credit
- Rolloverunused paid credits while active
On Amazon, Walmart and eBay, one kwery credit covers 2 complete SKU datasets (search + product + offers, matched, each). All other sources: one credit, one complete SKU dataset.
Billing unit
- Rainforest API
- Requests are billed per Amazon-specific request type, with different data surfaces counted separately.
- kwery
- One credit per complete SKU dataset: one SKU, one source, fetched fresh. Matching the product, the product data and the offers are all included. On Amazon, Walmart and eBay, one credit covers 2 complete SKU datasets (search + product + offers, matched, each).
Compare the total cost of one complete SKU dataset on both sides, not the price of a single request.
kwery charges one unit for one complete SKU dataset: no separate matching step, no separate lookup, no per-endpoint stacking, so the cost of an integration can be calculated before it is built.
What One Complete Dataset Costs
Rainforest API splits one complete Amazon product view across separate request types. The steps below are drawn from publicly available documentation and should be verified against current documentation during evaluation.
Find the product
Rainforest API
1 request, search by keyword or ASIN; barcode matching is not offered
kwery
Included, barcode, ASIN or marketplace ID matched in the same call
Find the product
1 request, search by keyword or ASIN; barcode matching is not offered
Included, barcode, ASIN or marketplace ID matched in the same call
Product data
Rainforest API
1 request, the Amazon product request type
kwery
Included in the same call
Product data
1 request, the Amazon product request type
Included in the same call
Offers
Rainforest API
1 request, the Amazon offer list
kwery
Included in the same call
Offers
1 request, the Amazon offer list
Included in the same call
Matching the product on that marketplace
Rainforest API
Built and maintained in your systems
kwery
Included, matched within the requested source
Matching the product on that marketplace
Built and maintained in your systems
Included, matched within the requested source
One complete SKU dataset
Rainforest API
3 requests
kwery
1 credit
One complete SKU dataset
3 requests
1 credit
Rainforest API does not offer GTIN matching: it returns search results, product records and offers. Turning a barcode into the right product on Amazon remains work the customer builds and maintains. Request counts should be verified against current documentation.
Amazon Field Coverage, Category by Category
Rainforest API groups its Amazon coverage into product, review, price, seller, deal, Buy Box, media and search categories. The rows below set those categories next to what a kwery Amazon record returns today, so the comparison is about fields rather than positioning. Verify the Rainforest column against current documentation during evaluation.
- 01
Product details
Rainforest API
Title, bullets, description, attributes, variation relationships, category tree and A+ content.
kwery
Title, bullets, description, brand, parent ASIN, category node, best-seller ranks and first-available date.
- 02
Reviews
Rainforest API
Review-level data: star ratings, review text, reviewer media, helpful votes, verified-purchase flags and timestamps.
kwery
Rating aggregates only, average rating and rating count. Individual review text is out of scope.
- 03
Price and availability
Rainforest API
Current price, deal and coupon context, availability and Buy Box pricing.
kwery
Buy Box price, shipping, currency, availability, Buy Box seller and id, fulfilment type (Amazon, FBA, FBM), Prime-exclusive price, and the full offer list with price, shipping, condition and seller rating.
- 04
Seller and store
Rainforest API
Storefront profiles, seller ratings and feedback counts, catalog breadth and seller-to-ASIN mapping.
kwery
Seller name, id, storefront link, rating and rating count on every offer, plus the Buy Box owner. Storefront-level profiles are not part of the record.
- 05
Promotions
Rainforest API
Lightning and best-deal listings, coupons and Prime-exclusive offers by ASIN or category.
kwery
Prime-exclusive pricing on the observed offer. Category-level deal listings are out of scope.
- 06
Buy Box
Rainforest API
Buy Box owner, price and fulfilment, with rotation reconstructed from repeated requests.
kwery
Buy Box owner, owner id, price, fulfilment type and Prime-exclusive price per observation, with scheduled intervals, detected change events and webhook delivery for ownership changes.
- 07
Media and titles
Rainforest API
Primary and variant image URLs with dimensions, normalized titles and change tracking.
kwery
Title on the product record and an image on search results. Image dimension and hash analysis is out of scope; title and field changes are covered by change events.
- 08
Product search
Rainforest API
Keyword and category search returning ranked products with ASINs.
kwery
Keyword search returning ranked ASINs with title, price, rating, image and Prime, Amazon's Choice and Bestseller badges, plus GTIN-to-ASIN resolution. Category browsing is out of scope.
| Category | Rainforest API | kwery |
|---|---|---|
| Product details | Title, bullets, description, attributes, variation relationships, category tree and A+ content. | Title, bullets, description, brand, parent ASIN, category node, best-seller ranks and first-available date. |
| Reviews | Review-level data: star ratings, review text, reviewer media, helpful votes, verified-purchase flags and timestamps. | Rating aggregates only, average rating and rating count. Individual review text is out of scope. |
| Price and availability | Current price, deal and coupon context, availability and Buy Box pricing. | Buy Box price, shipping, currency, availability, Buy Box seller and id, fulfilment type (Amazon, FBA, FBM), Prime-exclusive price, and the full offer list with price, shipping, condition and seller rating. |
| Seller and store | Storefront profiles, seller ratings and feedback counts, catalog breadth and seller-to-ASIN mapping. | Seller name, id, storefront link, rating and rating count on every offer, plus the Buy Box owner. Storefront-level profiles are not part of the record. |
| Promotions | Lightning and best-deal listings, coupons and Prime-exclusive offers by ASIN or category. | Prime-exclusive pricing on the observed offer. Category-level deal listings are out of scope. |
| Buy Box | Buy Box owner, price and fulfilment, with rotation reconstructed from repeated requests. | Buy Box owner, owner id, price, fulfilment type and Prime-exclusive price per observation, with scheduled intervals, detected change events and webhook delivery for ownership changes. |
| Media and titles | Primary and variant image URLs with dimensions, normalized titles and change tracking. | Title on the product record and an image on search results. Image dimension and hash analysis is out of scope; title and field changes are covered by change events. |
| Product search | Keyword and category search returning ranked products with ASINs. | Keyword search returning ranked ASINs with title, price, rating, image and Prime, Amazon's Choice and Bestseller badges, plus GTIN-to-ASIN resolution. Category browsing is out of scope. |
The kwery column describes the Amazon record as it is delivered today. The two products draw their category boundaries differently, so read the rows as scope descriptions rather than as a score.
When Rainforest API or kwery Is the Better Fit
Neither option is the general answer. The requirement decides, and the requirement is usually clearer than the feature comparison.
Rainforest API may fit better when
- Amazon is the only marketplace that matters to the product
- you need Amazon-specific surfaces such as review, search or category data
- your logic already reasons in Amazon concepts and should keep doing so
- you want the raw Amazon field set rather than a mapped equivalent
kwery may fit better when
- Amazon is one of several marketplaces in the same decision
- your pricing engine should not carry marketplace-specific branches
- adding a marketplace should not mean adding an integration
- you need consistent completeness and freshness metadata across sources
Before You Switch
A provider migration is not only an API-key change. These considerations are specific to moving between Rainforest API and kwery:
ASIN and Identifier Reuse
Existing ASINs remain usable, but check how non-Amazon sources will be addressed once more marketplaces enter the same pipeline.
Amazon-Specific Fields
List the Amazon-native fields your logic depends on and confirm how each is represented in a normalized record.
Request Type Consolidation
Multiple Amazon request types often consolidate into fewer normalized requests, which changes scheduling and cost modelling.
General migration checklist
- Identifier Compatibility
- Can existing GTINs, EANs, UPCs, ASINs or source URLs be reused as request inputs?
- Schema Migration
- Which fields change name, type or meaning, and which consumers read them today?
- Source Parity
- Are all required marketplaces and countries available on both sides of the move?
- Freshness Semantics
- Does "fresh" mean the same thing in both systems, and does every record carry a collection timestamp?
- Offer Modeling
- Are seller, shipping and availability represented in equivalent ways?
- History
- Will historical records need to remain in the existing system, and for how long?
- Failure Handling
- How should the application interpret unresolved products and partial results?
- Billing Unit
- Are you paying by request, credit, record, product/source lookup or another unit?