Quick answer
IPGeolocation.io - IPGeolocation.io wins for most builders because its free tier is perpetual, has no card requirement, and scales into clear usage-based paid plans, while Abstract API is better only if you want a simpler free cap with richer identity and security fields in a narrower setup.
How the free tiers compare
These are both IP lookup APIs, but they optimize for different things. Abstract API gives a tighter free tier: 1,000 requests per month, no card required, and a broad feature set that already includes location, timezone, currency, ASN, company, security, and domain data. That makes it attractive if you want a small, low-friction starter bucket and care more about the shape of the response than raw volume. IPGeolocation.io is more generous for ongoing use: 1,000 API credits per day, no card required, no overages on free, and paid tiers that scale by monthly credits from 150,000 up to 5,000,000 before enterprise. It is the better fit if you expect to grow past testing or want predictable expansion without jumping straight into sales contact. The tradeoff is that its free plan is less feature-complete than Abstract API’s.
IP Geolocation API vs IPGeolocation.io free tier, side by side
| IP Geolocation APIFTV 61 | IPGeolocation.ioFTV 51 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free allowanceA is monthly, B is daily and perpetual. | 1,000 requests/month | 1,000 API credits/day |
| Rate limit on freeOnly A explicitly lists a free-tier rate limit. | 1 request/second | Not stated |
| ASN dataBoth free tiers include ASN-related data. | Included | Included |
| Timezone dataBoth free tiers include timezone data. | Included | Included |
| Company informationB adds company data on paid plans. | Included | Not stated on free |
| Security dataB adds security data on paid plans. | Included | Not stated on free |
| No credit card requiredExplicitly stated for both products. | Yes | Yes |
After you outgrow the free tier
Abstract API uses tiered pricing, with the first paid plan at $17/month and higher tiers at $37 and $39/month, plus an enterprise contact-sales option. IPGeolocation.io uses flat monthly plans with usage included, starting at $19/month for 150,000 credits and scaling to $249/month for 5,000,000 credits, with overage charges on each paid tier. For most small-team usage, Abstract API is cheaper at the entry point, but IPGeolocation.io becomes more attractive if you need substantially more volume or want a clearer pay-for-usage ladder.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | IP Geolocation API | IPGeolocation.io |
|---|---|---|
| ~1,000 requests/moB's free plan is 1,000 credits/day, so this usage stays within free. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| ~20,000 requests/moB's free daily allowance is enough for about 30,000 credits/month if usage is spread evenly, but the free plan has no overages. | $17/mo minimum paid tier | Free (within tier) |
| ~150,000 requests/moA's paid tiers are not published by request volume beyond 60,000/year in the input, so only the entry price is known. | $17/mo minimum paid tier | $19/mo Starter |
| ~500,000 requests/moB's Plus plan includes 500,000 API credits/month. | $17/mo minimum paid tier | $49/mo Plus |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick IP Geolocation API when…
- You want a small free allowance for a proof of concept and care about response fields like security, domain, company, and ASN from day one.
- You expect low volume and want a simple monthly cap instead of thinking in daily credits.
- You are building geolocation plus enrichment workflows where the free plan's included fields matter more than scale.
- You want a no-card free tier and do not need a path to very high volume immediately.
Pick IPGeolocation.io when…
- You need a perpetual free tier for testing or hobby use and want 1,000 credits per day instead of a 1,000 requests per month cap.
- You expect to outgrow free usage and want clear paid jumps from 150,000 to 5,000,000 credits per month.
- You want overage pricing on paid plans instead of moving to a different tier immediately.
- You are building a product that may scale across multiple apps or higher traffic and need the pricing ladder to stay explicit.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, IPGeolocation.io is the better long-term free-tier choice because it gives you a perpetual no-card plan and a much clearer scaling path once the prototype starts to get traffic. Abstract API is the better pick if you want richer data in the free response and you can live with a smaller monthly cap. If you are trying to avoid a pricing reset later, B is the safer default. If you only need a small, feature-rich sandbox, A is easier to justify.
Read the full listings: IP Geolocation API and IPGeolocation.io. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.