Quick answer
ipapi - ipapi wins for most builders because its free tier is usable for real testing and small production-like workloads, while IP-API.com is only for non-commercial use and is tightly rate-limited.
How the free tiers compare
These two products are both IP geolocation APIs, but their free tiers serve very different jobs. IP-API.com gives you simple, keyless access with no registration, but the free endpoint is restricted to non-commercial use and capped at 45 requests per minute per IP, with temporary blocks if you push it. That makes it good for lightweight internal tools, demos, or hobby use, not an app you expect to grow. ipapi’s free trial is more generous on raw volume, with up to 1,000 lookups per day, about 30,000 per month, plus HTTPS and IPv4/IPv6 support. It is still labeled for testing and development, but it gets you much closer to a real integration. After the free tier, ipapi has clear flat-priced plans, while IP-API.com only states a Pro subscription with commercial use and unlimited queries, but no public monthly price here.
IP-API.com vs ipapi free tier, side by side
| IP-API.comFTV 49 | ipapiFTV 41 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free request volumeIP-API.com is rate-limited per minute; ipapi is quota-based by day and month. | 45 requests/minute per IP | 1,000 lookups/day, about 30,000/month |
| Free use caseThis is the biggest practical difference between the free tiers. | Non-commercial use only | Testing and development use |
| Free access requirementsThe input explicitly says IP-API.com requires neither key nor registration; ipapi is described as a free trial. | No API key or registration | Free trial evaluation access |
| Free transport/securityOnly ipapi explicitly lists HTTPS on the free trial. | Not specified in the input | HTTPS / SSL secure API access |
| Paid commercial useIP-API.com’s Pro plan explicitly includes commercial use and unlimited queries. | Unlimited queries, commercial use | Production-ready and scalable on paid tiers |
After you outgrow the free tier
IP-API.com has a single Pro subscription with unlimited queries and commercial use, but no public monthly price is given here, so its paid cost is contact sales or varies by usage. ipapi uses flat monthly tiers after the free trial, starting at $15 for 60K lookups, then $25, $49, $99, and $199 as volume rises. For small-team usage, ipapi is the clearer and cheaper path because the entry paid price is explicit and low. At higher lookup volumes, ipapi’s costs scale predictably by tier, while IP-API.com’s cost cannot be compared numerically from the provided data.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | IP-API.com | ipapi |
|---|---|---|
| 60k IP lookups/monthipapi’s 60K plan matches this volume exactly. | contact sales / varies by usage | $15/mo |
| 150k IP lookups/monthipapi’s Monthly 150K plan covers this volume. | contact sales / varies by usage | $25/mo |
| 500k IP lookups/monthipapi’s Monthly 500K plan covers this volume. | contact sales / varies by usage | $49/mo |
| 2M IP lookups/monthipapi’s Monthly 2M plan covers this volume. | contact sales / varies by usage | $99/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick IP-API.com when…
- You want a non-commercial IP lookup tool with no API key or registration.
- You only need light traffic and can stay within 45 requests per minute per IP.
- You are building a demo, script, or internal utility where temporary blocking is acceptable.
- You do not need production support or a published paid ladder yet.
Pick ipapi when…
- You need a free tier that can support testing at real volume, up to about 30,000 lookups per month.
- You want HTTPS / SSL access and standard IPv4 and IPv6 support on the free tier.
- You expect to move into a paid plan with a clear posted price once you outgrow free.
- You want features like bulk lookup, usage alerts, and usage monitoring in paid tiers.
- You are choosing for a project that may become production later and need an easier upgrade path.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, ipapi is the better pick because its free tier is large enough to test properly and its paid ladder is transparent and affordable. IP-API.com is only the better choice if you specifically want a no-key, no-registration endpoint for non-commercial use and can live with a hard per-minute cap. If you think you may ship a production integration, ipapi is the safer default because the upgrade path is clearer.
Read the full listings: IP-API.com 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.