Quick answer
Geolocated.io - Geolocated.io wins for most builders who only need IP lookup, because its free tier is easier to live on and the first paid step is much cheaper.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers serve different kinds of builders. Geolocated.io is a narrow IP geolocation API with a generous daily request cap, no card required, and a low $25/month entry plan, so it works well for products that just need lookup data and want a cheap path out of free. IP2Location.io is broader, bundling IP geolocation with WHOIS and hosted-domain APIs, but its free tier is much smaller relative to its paid plans and its first paid tier starts at $49/month. If you need multiple lookup types in one vendor, IP2Location.io is the better fit. If you care about staying free longer and paying less when you outgrow it, Geolocated.io is the easier choice.
Geolocated.io vs IP2Location.io free tier, side by side
| Geolocated.ioFTV 65 | IP2Location.ioFTV 58 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free IP geolocation quotaDifferent billing periods make direct comparison approximate. | 2,000 API requests/day | 50K IP Geolocation API queries/month |
| Free rate limitOnly Geolocated.io publishes a free-plan per-minute cap here. | 100 requests/minute | Not stated |
| Free extra API typesIP2Location.io includes additional APIs on free, while Geolocated.io stays focused on IP lookup. | Batch IP lookup included | 500 Domain WHOIS API queries/month; 50 Hosted Domain API queries/month |
| Free supportSupport is explicitly included on IP2Location.io free plan. | No customer support included | Standard support |
| Free card requirementThis claim is explicit in both inputs. | No credit card required | No credit card required |
| First paid planGeolocated.io starts lower. | Starter - $25 /Month | Starter - $49/month |
| Next paid quotaThe quota shape differs, but B offers a larger monthly geolocation ceiling. | 50K requests/day | 150K IP Geolocation API queries/month |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat pricing for their paid tiers, but the cost ramp is very different. Geolocated.io starts at $25/month and stays relatively low at $49 and $99 for higher request caps. IP2Location.io starts at $49/month, then jumps to $249 and $499 as you buy more geolocation volume and broader API access. For a small team that just needs IP geolocation, Geolocated.io is cheaper. If you need WHOIS or Hosted Domain API capacity, IP2Location.io may be worth the higher base price.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Geolocated.io | IP2Location.io |
|---|---|---|
| basic startup usage, under free-tier limitsIP2Location.io free also includes WHOIS and Hosted Domain caps, but those are small. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| ~50K IP geolocation lookups/day or lessIP2Location.io prices are monthly, so this is not a like-for-like cap comparison. | $25/mo from Starter | Not covered by free tier on a per-day basis; closest published paid tier is $49/mo Starter |
| ~150K IP geolocation queries/month plus WHOIS/Hosted Domain needsIP2Location.io Starter includes 150K geolocation, 5K WHOIS, and 1K Hosted Domain queries per month. | $25/mo, assuming Geolocated.io traffic fits its daily cap | $49/mo Starter |
| higher-volume geolocation with broader attribute needsExact crossover cannot be calculated from the input because overage rates are not provided. | $49/mo or $99/mo depending on usage | $249/mo Plus or $499/mo Security depending on usage |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Geolocated.io when…
- You only need IP geolocation lookups and want a free tier you can keep using in a real product.
- You expect modest traffic and want a higher free request ceiling, especially if your usage is spread across the day.
- You want the cheapest first paid tier after free, since Starter begins at $25/month.
- You need standard IP lookup, self IP lookup, batch IP lookup, and CORS support without paying for broader domain features.
Pick IP2Location.io when…
- You need IP geolocation plus Domain WHOIS in the same API vendor.
- You need Hosted Domain API queries alongside IP lookups.
- You want daily database updates and standard support on the free plan.
- You expect to grow into higher attribute counts or more advanced proxy detection and are comfortable with a higher starting price.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Geolocated.io is the better free-tier bet: it is easier to start with, stays useful longer for straight IP lookup, and its first paid step is much cheaper. IP2Location.io makes sense when you need more than geolocation, especially WHOIS and hosted-domain queries, but you pay for that broader scope immediately with a higher entry price and a much steeper jump as usage grows.
Read the full listings: Geolocated.io and IP2Location.io. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.