Quick answer
Free IP API - Free IP API wins for most builders because its free tier is a real production starter with commercial use allowed, while ipapi’s free offer is explicitly a testing and development trial.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers solve the same problem, but they are aimed at different stages of the builder journey. Free IP API is the more usable free tier if you want to ship something and keep it on a budget: it allows commercial use, includes API keys, whitelisting, bulk lookups, email support, and gives you 60 requests per minute. The tradeoff is that it is capped by rate rather than monthly volume, and the free servers are only in Europe. ipapi gives you a larger monthly lookup allowance, around 30,000 per month, but the free offer is framed as a trial for testing and development. Once you outgrow free, ipapi has a clearer ladder of flat monthly plans by lookup volume, while Free IP API jumps from free to an unlimited flat plan or custom enterprise.
Free IP API vs ipapi free tier, side by side
| Free IP APIFTV 54 | ipapiFTV 41 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free usage limitA is rate-limited; B is volume-limited and described as a trial. | 60 requests per minute | Up to 1,000 IP lookups per day, approximately 30,000 per month |
| IP protocol support | IPv4 and IPv6 support | Standard IPv4 and IPv6 support |
| Bulk lookupB’s free tier does not state a numeric bulk limit. | Included, up to 50 IPs per request | Limited bulk IP lookup capability |
| Commercial useB’s free tier is described as suitable for testing and development use. | Allowed | Not stated for free trial |
| Support | Email support included | Not included in the free trial items |
| Server locationA’s paid Unlimited plan expands to servers across the world. | Servers in Europe only | Not stated |
After you outgrow the free tier
Free IP API moves from free to a flat-priced unlimited plan, with €9.90 per month or €99 per year, then custom enterprise pricing. ipapi uses a tiered flat monthly ladder by lookup volume: $15 for 60K, $25 for 150K, $49 for 500K, $99 for 2M, and $199 for 6M. For small teams, Free IP API is cheaper if your usage fits the free rate-limited tier or the unlimited plan is enough; ipapi becomes the more predictable option when you want explicit monthly lookup buckets and production features.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Free IP API | ipapi |
|---|---|---|
| 30,000 IP lookups/monthB’s free offer is a trial and not framed for production use. | Free (within 60 req/min limit, assuming traffic stays under the rate cap) | Free (within trial quota) |
| 60,000 IP lookups/monthA’s free tier can be exceeded by bursty traffic even if monthly volume is modest. | Free if you stay under 60 req/min, otherwise €9.90/mo for Unlimited | $15/mo for Monthly 60K |
| 150,000 IP lookups/monthA’s Unlimited plan is flat with unlimited requests per minute. | €9.90/mo for Unlimited | $25/mo for Monthly 150K |
| 500,000 IP lookups/monthB’s cost scales with lookup volume; A does not list a usage-based paid ladder. | €9.90/mo for Unlimited | $49/mo for Monthly 500K |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Free IP API when…
- You need an IP geolocation API for a small production app and want to stay free as long as possible.
- You care about commercial use being explicitly allowed on the free tier.
- You need features like API keys, IP and domain whitelisting, bulk lookups, or email support without paying yet.
- Your usage is bursty and a per-minute limit matters more than a monthly quota.
Pick ipapi when…
- You are evaluating an IP lookup API in a test or development environment and do not need production rights yet.
- You want a free tier with a clearer monthly lookup allowance instead of a request-per-minute cap.
- You expect to graduate to paid plans by lookup volume and want a simple progression from 60K to 150K to 500K and beyond.
- You need production-ready paid tiers with usage alerts and API usage monitoring once you leave the free offer.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Free IP API is the better free-tier choice because it is actually usable in a small commercial project, not just an evaluation sandbox. ipapi is the better pick if you want a larger free monthly lookup allowance and expect to buy a lookup-based paid plan soon. If your app is production-bound and low traffic, Free IP API is the cleaner starting point. If you know you will scale by monthly lookup count, ipapi’s pricing ladder is easier to plan around.
Read the full listings: Free IP API and ipapi. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.