Quick answer
ipapi.is - ipapi.is wins for most builders because its free tier is much larger, has full data parity, and stays useful longer before you have to pay.
How the free tiers compare
The two products target the same general IP lookup use case, but the free tiers are shaped very differently. ipapi.is is the better starter if you want to build and test against a real API without immediately thinking about quotas: 1,000 requests per day, same data quality as paid plans, and no card required. That makes it practical for prototypes, internal tools, and low-volume production. ipbase.com is narrower and tighter: 150 requests on the free plan, 1 API key, and a 10 requests per minute cap. Its free tier is enough to validate an integration, but not much more. After free, both are flat-priced, but ipbase.com starts cheaper while ipapi.is gives much more headroom per dollar as volume rises.
ipapi.is vs ipbase.com free tier, side by side
| ipapi.isFTV 50 | ipbase.comFTV 47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free requestsipapi.is uses a daily cap, while ipbase.com lists a flat request count on free. | 1,000 API requests per day | 150 Requests |
| API keys on free tierOnly ipbase.com explicitly includes an API key limit in the free plan. | Not stated | 1 API Key |
| Rate limitThis appears on ipbase.com's free plan only. | Not stated | 10 Requests / Min. |
| No credit card requiredBoth inputs explicitly say free access does not require a card. | Yes | Yes |
| Paid starter quotaThe quotas are not directly comparable because one is daily and one is a plan total as listed. | 20,000 requests/day on Basic | 65,000 requests on Small |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing for their first meaningful paid tiers, so costs are predictable rather than usage-metered. ipbase.com starts cheaper at $9.99/mo, but its paid plans are still relatively small and add more API keys as you move up. ipapi.is starts at $20/mo, then scales through larger daily request caps up to Business at $200/mo. For small-team usage, ipbase.com is cheaper to begin with; for higher sustained request volume, ipapi.is gives much more headroom before you need to jump tiers. Neither input provides usage-based math beyond the listed flat plans.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | ipapi.is | ipbase.com |
|---|---|---|
| light production use, under the free limitsipapi.is allows up to 1,000 API requests per day; ipbase.com allows 150 requests total on the free plan. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| ~10k requests/monthipapi.is free covers about 30k requests/month if spread evenly, but the daily cap matters. ipbase.com free is far below this volume. | Free or $20/mo depending on burst pattern | Small - $9.99/mo |
| ~65k requests/monthipapi.is Basic includes 20,000 requests/day. ipbase.com Small lists 65,000 requests. | $20/mo Basic | Small - $9.99/mo |
| ~650k requests/monthipapi.is Medium is 100,000 requests/day, which is far above this monthly volume if spread across the month. | $50/mo Medium or higher | $39.99/mo Medium |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick ipapi.is when…
- You need to test an IP intelligence API with enough volume to cover real development and QA traffic.
- You want the free tier to match paid data quality so your prototype does not change when you upgrade.
- You are building a low-volume production feature, like signup enrichment or occasional fraud checks.
- You expect to outgrow the free tier by request volume, not by needing more API keys or rate-limit flexibility.
Pick ipbase.com when…
- You only need a very small number of IP lookups to validate a quick integration.
- You want the cheapest paid entry point once you move past free.
- You specifically want a plan shaped around API keys and a no-rate-limit paid ladder.
- You need location, currency, or timezone data in the paid plans and are okay with a much smaller free tier.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, ipapi.is is the better free tier because it gives you enough room to build something real before you pay, and the data quality does not change between free and paid. ipbase.com is fine if you only need a small testbed or want the cheapest first paid step, but its free plan is much easier to exhaust. If you expect even modest ongoing usage, ipapi.is is the safer place to start.
Read the full listings: ipapi.is and ipbase.com. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.