Webhook vs API Polling — What's the Difference?
A webhook is a server-to-server callback where the source system pushes data to your endpoint as soon as an event happens; polling means repeatedly requestin...
Published October 5, 2026
A webhook is a server-to-server callback where the source system pushes data to your endpoint as soon as an event happens; polling means repeatedly requesting an API on a schedule to check whether anything new has occurred.
Why they differ
- Polling wastes requests checking for updates that usually haven't happened yet, and introduces delay up to the length of the polling interval
- Webhooks deliver updates immediately as they happen, but require you to expose a publicly reachable endpoint and handle delivery failures/retries
How to choose
- Prefer webhooks when the source system supports them and near-real-time updates matter
- Fall back to polling when webhooks aren't available, or when you specifically need to control exactly when checks happen
FAQ
What happens if a webhook delivery fails?
Most webhook providers retry failed deliveries with backoff for a period of time, but your endpoint should still be idempotent and you should have a way to reconcile missed events, since delivery still isn't absolutely guaranteed.