API Lite - what's the difference?

I think its basically just a pared down version of another API response. GetBet gives you all the info, GetBetLite gives you similar info as GetBet without the possibly esoteric overhead and GetBetMatchesLite gives you pared down information on matched bets only.

I think thats it anyway. Most of the lite calls aren't available to the free API though, which is headscratchingly strange really.

ALL of the Lite versions are available to the Free API at a rate of 60 p/m, this is why i was looking at them. It's been recently updated following a comment in the BDP forum.

Assuming that (for example) getMUBetsLite will give me the same information as getMUBets, then what IS the point of having two services that do the same thing?

The light versions don;t return all the info the full calls do, think getMUBetsLite omits a lot of the date/time data. A lot of the stuff is probably irrelevant if you're already storing data in arrays so just use them to double up the calls available via the free api. Comparing the outputs details in the api manual should show whats missing obviously for betfair the lite versions just mean lower overheads and strain on their creaking database

While we're on the subject I thought it would be useful to mention that I got stung with data charges in March using getMUBets. The reason was (and I quote):

"Yes, the spikes are due to you calling getMUBets with marketId = 0.
These calls count as five data requests, compared to one data request if you were to specify the marketId in the getMUBets request."

ooh, I didn't realise they had been added to the free API.

And that data charge looks ouchies, how much did you get hit?

Luckily I was only doing some light testing, so it was only about £5. But still, I think the term 'free API' is a misnomer!